Sword Art Online: A Life Redeemed
by sergeant assassin
Summary: Sword Art Online. A magical world, seemingly out of a dream, where 10,000 lucky individuals will get to experience the world's first VRMMORPG. Little do they know the horror that awaits them inside this world. Will they ever escape? They will, if Ishigawa Yuuto has anything to say about it. Pairing is OC/Asuna.
1. Chapter 1

**Sword Art Online: A Life Redeemed**

**Chapter 1: Sword Art Online**

_**A/N: Hello, Sgt. Assassin here.**_

_**Unlike my previous inspirations, this one did not come to me whilst I was on the toilet (It's gross, I know, let's just get it out of the way and move on.) I've received mostly positive reviews from my OC character's debut in, "Where You Belong", and I've been hooked on Sword Art Online ever since a friend recommended it to me, so I thought I'd combine the two and see what clicks/pops/booms (the last one would make me squeal in childish glee, as I love explody things.)**_

_**I digress. For those of you who aren't familiar with SAO, first things first: Why are you here? Not to disperse any potential viewers, but if you haven't watched the anime, two things to think about: 1) How you're even here in the first place astounds me, since you would probably have not heard of this to begin with. 2) You might want to go check out SAO, or Sword Art Online. Now. Yes now. Move the cursor, open up a new tab, go to Google, and do the clicky-search thing with the thing above the thing and go watch it. Nao!**_

_**Again, I digress. Main point I'm trying to get across is that this will be a mostly canon-based story, with my OC thrown into the middle of it. Since my OC looks quite a bit like an older Kirito, this will be easier to pull off.**_

_**If you're curious as to what my OC looks like, here's the link to a pic of him. I'm only posting this once, so here you go: **_

_** fs71/f/2011/316/7/d/i_ll_be_right_back_by_ **_

_**Pairing will be OcxAsuna. Enough talk, let's get this rollin'.**_

_**LINK. START!**_

Sighing as he closed the door to his one-bedroom apartment, Ishigawa Yuuto rubbed the back of his head as he removed his shoes and clomped sluggishly into his kitchen/living room area, pulling his sword out of his waistband and setting it on the coffee table, slumping haphazardly onto the couch.

Being a mercenary for a traditional Japanese clientele came with its' ups and downs. On the plus side, he got a pleasant salary, job security, and the dental plan was superb. On the downside, they frowned upon the usage of firearms, even though society was almost a quarter of the way into the 21st century. With modern technology far more advanced than most gave credit for, bringing a sword to a semi-automatic gunfight was typically a losing strategy.

Having honed his skills for over a decade, however, provided Yuuto with a healthy margin for error. Not that he often needed it. More often than not, he borrowed from the other side of Japan's notorious mercenary duo (ninja), and used stealth as a means of obtaining his goals. Just because he was from the other side of the figurative pond (swordsman, or better known as a samurai) didn't mean he wouldn't take advantage of such glorious opportunities like stealth and surprise.

After all, honor did you little good when you were dead.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he pushed off the couch and went into the kitchen, cracking the fridge just wide enough to grab a soda and crack the tab, downing the can in mere seconds before crushing the aluminum and tossing it into the recycling can.

After his latest assignment, he'd gotten noteworthy recognition and praise from the clan leader who hired him. Having dealt with the opposing clan's head of house, this would weaken their standing in the petty government the clan heads had set up for themselves, allowing the client to grasp more power in the later's stead.

Frankly, Yuuto didn't care.

A job was a job, he was there to make money, and one life or twenty lives would make little difference to him in the long run. After all, it's not like it was personal.

Stopping in the restroom to take a leak, Yuuto washed his hands quickly before glancing at the hall clock.

The digital readout gleamed back November 6th, 2022, 12:55 PM.

Smiling softly, he headed for his bedroom, opening the door and swiftly striding over to the desktop computer located atop his desk at the far corner. Switching it on, he ignored the startup hum as he turned and headed to his closet, opening it and pulling out a large white box, followed by a small black cartridge.

Listening to the familiar sing-song tune that all Windows processors made upon starting up, he set the box on the bed and popped open a port in the tower, inserting the small black cartridge and closing it with a snap.

Heading over to the bed, he pulled from the sheath on his back a Mercworx Sniper combat knife, twirling it deftly between his fingers until it ended up tip down. Dragging the blade neatly across the packing tape, he slit the edges before twirling the blade again and sheathing it once more.

Opening the box, he pulled out a bulky-looking helmet and a DSL connector cable. While not the preferred method of receiving internet capability anymore, DSL cables still had plenty of uses, and this just happened to be one of them.

Plugging the cable into both the helmet and the back of the computer tower, Yuuto set the box on the ground by his bedside, forgoing dispensing of it immediately in favor of doing it later.

It was 12:59 PM, after all.

Today was the day. Not just any day. Today was THE day. He'd payed a friend of his 200 American dollars (equivalent to over 16,000 yen) to wait in line 3 days for this particular game. This coveted prize that so many sought yet so few managed to get. In all, only 10,000 First-Edition copies of this game had been produced, so paying more than the game and equipment itself was worth to possess it was money well-spent in his opinion.

Despite being a mercenary of reputable note, Yuuto had very few vices. In fact, he only had one. One vice that he could not discard, one that had been his constant companion ever since his days as a child: video games.

So much so, in fact, that he had willingly and gladly taken time off from work (since he practically never took vacation days) to beta-test this particular video game. The amount of people that had beta-tested the game were merely 1/10th the number of games that were actually produced: Only 1,000 lucky souls got to try the game out before it even hit the shelves, and he just happened to be one of those souls.

This game, however, was the holy grail of all games, pardon the cliché. It was groundbreaking, in the sense that it was about to do what video gamers had only dreamed of when the first video game had been made:

Create a full 3-dimensional virtual reality.

Hence why it would now be known as the world's first VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). The title to such a groundbreaking achievement?

Sword Art Online.

As Yuuto put on the helmet and laid down in bed, he watched the readout come to life, depicting the battery life of the helmet (which wouldn't decrease as long as his helmet was plugged into the computer and the computer was on) and the IRL date and time.

_12:59 PM_

...

_12:59 PM_

...

_1:00 PM_

Grinning like a fool, yet feeling like a winner, Yuuto spoke the words that, unknowingly, would change his life forever.

"Link. START!"

* * *

Having spent the better part of the evening simply _enamored _with the game, Yuuto was actually startled when he checked his readout.

"Damn, that late already?"

"What's that, Yuuto?"

Yuuto turned to Klein, a fellow swordsman he'd met in the Town of Beginnings. Aptly named so, since it was the first level of the game. As for meeting Klein, it wasn't so much meeting as running into him. He'd been walking through one of the local marketplaces when the red-haired wonder had come barreling out of an alleyway, nearly knocking the both of them into a nearby fruit stand.

After a hasty and half-hearted apology, he'd tried to make his escape, only for Yuuto to grab the back of his collar and nonchalantly drag his speeding ass back into the alley from whence he'd came, to the amusement and befuddlement of onlookers.

After getting an explanation from the crimson bullet, and a much more sincere apology this time, Yuuto had begrudgingly agreed to aid the man in learning the basics of the game. Albeit a newbie to gaming, Klein had taken exceptionally well to the mechanics behind SAO, and was a quick learner to boot. In no time, Yuuto had him killing Wild Boars in the fields surrounding the ToB with ease.

Nodding, Yuuto gestured to his new friend's readout. "Yeah, it's almost 8 PM. Time flies when you're not paying attention."

Klein laughed, then froze, his face paling as he gasped. "SHIT! I forgot about the pizza I ordered earlier today! It's supposed to arrive at 8!"

Chuckling, Yuuto shook his head. "All prepped for a long night of gaming. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a pro. Unfortunately, I do."

Klein growled, shaking a fist at Yuuto. "Don't mock me! I'll be stronger than you in no time, you'll see!" Smiling after his mock-anger, Klein dragged his hand over the air and brought up the menu bar. "Anywho, I'll see you later, Yuuto. I have a pizza to catch!"

Turning, Yuuto chuckled as he waved a hand over his shoulder. "Right, right. See you later, Klein."

He'd taken only a few steps before Klein's puzzled voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Huh, that's weird. There's no logout button."

A small part of him literally jumped at the thought of it, but the rational part of his mind soothed it. "That's impossible, Klein. You're probably just in the wrong menu branch."

"No, I'm telling you. It's not there."

Scoffing, Yuuto brought up his own menu, even as Klein walked over to him with worry etched on his face. "And I'm telling you, that there's no way that-"

His half-smile died on his face as he brought up the correct menu branch, only to find that...it was exactly as Klein had said: the logout button was gone.

That little part of him that had panicked earlier now gained a few followers, but the majority of him managed to quell the uprising. "Huh, I guess you're right. No worries, though. It's probably a bug in the program. They should be fixing it even as we speak."

Klein heaved a mixed sigh of relief and regret. "That's good, but I'm still gonna miss my pizza. Damn."

Yuuto turned around, and was about to reply when a blinding light enveloped the two of them. Within seconds, he was back in the town square, Klein by his side as one by one, thousands of players teleported into the square.

'..._a mass teleportation? This must be about that logout bug. We should be getting a system announcement any second letting us know about their attempts to fix it, how long it'll take, how they had no knowledge of this bug and for us not to sue the pants off of them for this, yadda yadda, backpedaling, backpedaling.'_

To be fair, Yuuto was half-right. No sooner had the last player been teleported into the square did a red "System Announcement" sigil appear, followed by another and another and another. Spreading like wildfire, they encompassed the square, providing a massive dome that engulfed the entirety of the square like a makeshift red roof.

Blinking, Yuuto stared impassively as a large, holographic projection of an unidentified robed figure appeared. An ornate robe the color of freshly-dried blood covered the undoubtedly male subject, the hood pulled up so as to keep his appearance secret. Not a part of him was unclothed, also keeping secret his race and skin color, further adding to the man's enigmatic appearance.

"Greetings, Players. Welcome to my world. As you have probably guessed by now, I am the Game Master of Sword Art Online. My name is Kayaba Akihiko, the creator and developer of SAO."

Gasps and murmurs of awe echoed through the plaza, yet Kayaba continued. "As of this very moment, I am the one and only person that can control this world. But I digress."

"As most of you have noticed, the logout button on your control menu is missing." Even as he said this, Kayaba opened his own menu and scrolled over to the same menu branch Klein and Yuuto had been moments before. "However, this is not a game malfunction. I repeat, this is _**not**_ a game malfunction. Rather, it's an original feature of Sword Art Online."

Beside him, Klein voiced his confusion. "An original feature?"

"You cannot log out of SAO on your own. Also, no one one the outside will be able to shut down or remove the NerveGear. Should this be attempted...well, see for yourselves. Some of the player's friends and family have already attempted to. **This** is the result."

Even as he spoke, bright lights were flashing inside the plaza. It took Yuuto a moment to realize that they weren't lights, but _players_, their HP bars dropping to 0 in a heartbeat before their avatar's burst out of existence, blue-green shards of data sparkling in the digital air.

A growing feeling of horror was gripping Yuuto as he turned back to the sound of Kayaba's voice. "As you can see, several hundred players have vanished. In total, about 213 players had either friends, family, or concerned citizens try and remove/shut down their NerveGear. Those unfortunate souls no longer live...in this world or the real one."

Silence. Total, complete, and suffocating. The words that Kayaba said echoed inside Yuuto's head.

_No longer live...in this world..._

_No longer live...in the real world..._

_No longer live..._

At the prolonged silence from the crowd, Kayaba Akihiko continued. "As I said, should anyone attempt to remove the NerveGear or shut it down, the transmitter inside it will emit a powerful burst of microwave radiation, utterly frying your brain and thus ending your life."

Waving a hand in front of himself, several screens appeared in front of Kayaba, each displaying news websites and channels depicting the massive death toll already being attributed to what SAO was now being dubbed as: The Death Game.

Any doubt that had been niggling in the back of Yuuto's mind was quickly snuffed out when he saw the faces of loved ones of those who had already perished. Sobbing mothers, screaming sisters and brothers, fathers tearing their hair out on their knees. Grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. The list continued, the reporters covering the grave news as worldwide, people were gripped by the fear of a loved one having fallen victim to this wolf in sheep's clothing.

"The good news that comes from their deaths is that you can be readily assured that no one will try and remove your NerveGear now. You won't have to worry about suddenly dying like the others. I ask you to relax, and work hard at clearing this game."

Klein slumped to his knees, shock rendering them useless as he stared wide-eyed and open mouthed, not believing what he was hearing. Yuuto was inclined to agree with him, his body numb as he learned that he was literally stuck in a virtual game of life and death. Granted, this was nothing new to him from a real life standpoint, but he wasn't entirely sure his real life skills could help him in a video game.

"However, you all should take this into account: You can no longer respawn in this game. Once your HP reaches 0, your avatar will be permanently erased. So too, will your entire existence in the real world."

"I do have more good news, however. There is only one condition you need fulfill in order to set yourselves free. Indeed, to set everyone free, you need only clear all 100 levels of the game."

"Everyone is currently on the first floor, the lowest level of the floating castle Aincrad. Make your way through each floor and defeat the enemies along the way to find the singular path that leads to the Floor Boss of each level. Defeat said Floor Boss to advance to the next level. Know that defeating the Floor Boss is the only way to advance, as each floor's staircase that leads to the next level will be guarded by said Floor Boss. You cannot advance otherwise. Defeat the Final Boss on the 100th floor to clear the game. So long as even one player defeats the Final Boss, everyone will be logged out."

Yuuto ground his teeth as Klein yelled out, "100 floors?! That's impossible! The beta testers didn't even make it close to the 100th floor! Nowhere near that far!"

If Kayaba heard him, he chose to ignore him. "And finally, a gift from me to you is located in each of your item storages. Please take it out."

Begrudgingly, Yuuto did as he was told, quirking an eyebrow when he found a mirror in his storage. Pulling it out, he stared at it before turning as he heard Klein's yell of surprise, the man engulfed in a blinding light.

For a second, Yuuto feared his friend had been killed by a well-meaning family member or friend, but soon everyone was being enveloped in the light. Soon, even Yuuto was swallowed up by it.

When the light cleared, the faces that had been nearby looked drastically different. Yuuto heard Klein's voice, and turned to find the man looking vaguely similar to his avatar's appearance, the only visible difference being shorter hair than he'd originally set it.

Same went for Yuuto, only his avatar had been slightly shorter and less muscular than his real-life appearance.

Klein grabbed his shoulder. "Ne, Yuuto! How is this possible?!"

Yuuto didn't turn his head, but responded. "...The NerveGear traces the entirety of your face with its' external sensors. It stands to reason that they could be expanded upon to trace the entirety of your body, as well. Mapping parameters would be in place to make the in-game proportions identical to your real-life appearance."

Klein paled, but nodded. "We had it calibrated when we first bought it, remember? They had you touch your body all over n' stuff."

Yuuto nodded. "That could be it."

"But...but why? Why is this happening?!"

Yuuto clapped a hand on the man's shoulder, forcing him to open his eyes and look at him. Pointing to Kayaba, he said, "I'm sure that man will tell us soon enough."

As if on cue, "All of you must be wondering why. Why would Kayaba Akihiko, the brilliant scientist who developed Sword Art Online and the NerveGear, do all of this? What is his goal? To be honest, my goal has already been achieved. I've gathered nearly 10,000 people, and have created my own world with which I can observe and admire. **That** is why I made Sword Art Online. So I could have a world of my own."

Gritting his teeth so hard he could hear them grinding on one another, Yuuto looked up with utter rage in his eyes at the cloaked man. '_Kayaba!_'

"Thus concludes the tutorial for the official Sword Art Online launch. I wish every player the _best_ of luck."

Even as he began to vanish, Yuuto's fists clenched harder, so hard that were he in his real body, his nails would have drawn blood. Knowing it was pointless to try and stop the madman, especially when he was only level 6, Yuuto whirled on his heel and pushed his way through the stunned crowd, his mind whirling with what he needed to do to advance quickly through the floors.

Hurried footsteps made him stop about a block out of the town square, and he threw a look over his shoulder to spot Klein breathing heavily. "Wh-where do you think you're going, Yuuto?"

Cocking an eyebrow, Yuuto kept walking, albeit at a much slower pace. "Where else? The next town over. If what he said is true, then this is a game of death, and I'd much rather not die in a stupid game if I can help it. Besides, the quicker one of us beats the final boss, the sooner we get out of this death trap."

Klein continued to follow on his heels. "Will you just WAIT A SECOND?!" Huffing, Yuuto stopped and turned to regard his friend. "I would much rather be in a party than going it solo. I've got friends that I planned on meeting up with, like I told you in that alleyway when this all started. It's a few of us, so I was hoping you'd join us."

Eying his companion, Yuuto turned and stared at the setting sun. "I appreciate the offer, Klein. I really do. But I do my best work alone. Always have, always will. I don't begrudge you your party, though, so I would suggest gathering strong allies and heading for the next town as soon as possible. The one strategy I can offer you as a friend is to try and keep ahead of the pack. This way, you'll get first crack at the best items, the best quests, and the most experience points with minimal effort on you or your party's part."

Klein's eyes widened in ever-increasing intervals as Yuuto spoke. "...you're a beta tester, aren't you?" Yuuto didn't respond. "...I'll take your silence as a yes. How far did you get?" Again, silence. "...must have been pretty far to know the way this game operates. But not all the way, right?"

After another moment of silence, Yuuto shook his head. "No, I didn't clear the game. No beta tester did."

"What was your mortality rate?"

"...0."

"Huh?"

Turning his head to regard Klein with one eye, he spoke. "...I didn't die. Not once." Turning, he threw a wave over his shoulder. "Good luck, Klein. I really hope you stay alive till we meet again."

Klein watched his friend walk into the setting sunlight, rounding a corner and disappearing altogether.

"...Me too, Yuuto. Me too."

* * *

_One Month..._

One month had passed since the announcement of the death game.

For that first month, the mortality rate was astoundingly high, nearly 2,000 players losing their lives due to poor planning, inexperience, PKing (player killing), and the thing that constantly nagged at the back of everyone's mind: Suicide.

Yuuto had seen several on his journey, players that had that vacant look of complete despair in their eyes as they took that damning step over the ledge, as they walked into monster-filled forests without a stitch of equipment on their bodies, blades and knives and weapons of various persuasion lying unattended in dark alleyways and on the sides of vacant streets.

Most would pity the poor souls who felt it best to just get their deaths over with, believing in their very hearts that they were never getting out of there alive, anyway. Yuuto damned them to the darkest pits of Hell. How dare those selfish brats take their own lives? One person lost equated to one less person that could help them clear the game, thus taking away a small shard of hope from the rest of the remaining players that the game could be cleared at all.

Yuuto felt no sympathy for them, no pity, and definitely no sorrow. Those that took their own lives when others were counting on them deserved nothing but disgust and loathing. Your state of mind was of no concern. If you died fighting a Floor Boss, you would be given the highest honor one could give in this game, for you died trying to save your fellow warriors from this madman's hell. To take your own life outside of battle...

Shaking his head, Yuuto deftly moved aside a charging praying mantis, his blade slicing clean through its' midsection and causing it to squeal in agony before bursting into those blue-green shards he'd come to associate with death itself.

Wiping his blade on the ground, out of force of habit rather than necessity, he sheathed it before looking towards the nearest town. It was a day's trip from here, and only a select few beta testers had even found this little niche in the woods. It was a place that had a high concentration of monster spawns, and made for fast leveling, something Yuuto could attest to as his Exp. Gauge finally filled completely, announcing he had leveled up to Lvl. 20.

'_Lvl. 20 on the first floor...nothing on this floor can touch me now. I suppose it's time to go find the Floor Boss and clear this level. Reach the second floor, rinse and repeat.'_

Yuuto had been fighting non-stop for the past month, barely giving his character time to rest and recuperate before restarting his grinding session. Having done this kind of training in real life, it was old hat to him, and something he could easily fall back into.

Yuuto was both pleasantly and gladly surprised that his brain's self-trained hand-to-hand and one-handed sword skills in the real world would be able to be applied here, albeit on a reduced scale. Still, this gave him a distinct advantage over every player in the game, as he doubted he'd encounter another mercenary in this death trap.

By the end of the day, he'd reached the town, night falling as he casually strolled the cobblestone streets. Not worried in the slightest about muggers, he merely threw a curious look over his shoulder as a robed figure ducked behind a lamppost.

'_Considering the light's on, you're not hiding yourself too well, stranger.'_ Shrugging more to himself than his impromptu traveling companion, Yuuto resolved to ignore the stranger as long as possible. He had little time for player interaction. He worked alone. Always had, always would.

His gaming would be no different.

Finding a small spot near the square where he could casually observe the late night goings-on, he propped his blade against the small wall near the staircase and sat down, opening his menu without a thought and scrolling through till he found his rations, pulling out a piece of food and beginning to take small, calculated bites.

Having leveled his Tracking and Hearing senses to as high as they would go for the first floor, he found it nigh impossible to not notice the shuffling feet approaching him, accompanied by the swish of the individual's cloak.

Yuuto waited until the person was within striking distance before speaking. "You know, it's not nice to sneak up on someone like that. One might get the wrong impression."

He heard a gasp, and couldn't help but grin to himself. Maybe he would play with this one after all. He needed the amusement. "One could also get the impression that you were stalking me. After me for a nefarious purpose."

It was then that the figure entered his line of view, hands on hips as they stared down at him through their hood. "I was NOT stalking you!"

Quirking a brow at the voice, Yuuto motioned for the person to take off their hood. "The whole point of wearing a concealing garment is to...you know, conceal yourself? I already know you're a girl, hon."

The person seemed to blink, before bringing their hands to their mouth in realization. Sighing, they threw back their hood to reveal light orange hair, part of it tied in a braid that wrapped around the back of her head, soft white skin gleaming slightly in the lamplight as she nibbled nervously on pink lips. Overall, a very pretty girl.

"I guess you're right."

Yuuto made a show of looking directly at her, whistling softly and breaking into a face-splitting grin as she blushed like a tomato. "Had I known my stalker was this cute, I probably would have put on a show for you."

"What does THAT mean?!"

"Whatever you want it to, sweetheart. Now come, sit. I've got words to speak, things to say, and stuff to do. The last one is where I get up and leave, so let's do the other two first."

Huffing and folding her arms across her chest, the girl begrudgingly obliged and sat, scooting far enough away from him that he was momentarily worried she would fall off the edge.

"Care to put a little more distance between us? I think you're invading my personal space."

She huffed again, but scooted a bit closer. "There. Happy?"

"Quite. While we're at it..."

Scrolling through his menu, Yuuto took out another ration and tossed it at her. "Here, have something to eat. You look famished."

Catching it with startled hands, the girl looked down at the food before back at him. "How do I know it's not poisoned?"

"Would I have kept it near my other food if it was? Do I look stupid to you?"

She sighed, but nodded. "Point taken." She bit into it hungrily, tearing the bread to literal pieces as she devoured it like a starving wolf.

Scrolling through his menu again, he made sure that he had enough food, and sighed when he didn't.

'_Fuck it. That money was burning a hole in my pocket, anyway. Why monsters eat currency I'll never know.'_

Proceeding to do a mass dump of his edible inventory, he watched as she proceeded to put it all away...in her stomach.

Smiling softly, Yuuto finished his piece of food, stretched while popping a few ligaments, and got up, causing the female to pause in her ravaging of his ration supply. She realized that she'd been hungrily devouring his food without conscious thought, and blushed a deep crimson. He momentarily thought it was kinda cute.

"Uhh...I...t-thank you."

Yuuto waved it off. "No worries. I've got a shit ton of money I need to spend, anyway. You helped me clean out my fridge, so to speak."

She turned a deeper red at the mention of her momentary gluttony, and looked away. "B-but...I mean...hey, where are you going?"

She'd looked back to find him walking away. Food momentarily forgotten, she ran after him and grabbed his hand. No sooner had she done this then the tip of a blade was pointed at her throat.

Hard, steel-laced blue eyes greeted her startled orange, and she let go of his hand before taking a few steps back, hands up in a placating gesture. "H-hey..."

He blinked, and the steel was gone, soft blue replacing them as he twirled his sword once before sheathing it in one smooth motion. So smooth, she thought, that it looked as if he'd been doing it his entire life.

"What?"

She started, focused on the present as he repeated his question. "What do you want?"

"I...I wanted to thank you. A-and didn't you want to know why I was following you?"

Yuuto took a moment to contemplate his response before turning around. She was about to follow him, afraid he was just going to leave, when he spoke. "No thanks are needed. And I know why you were following me. I would warn you against doing so in the future. There are players out there that are not as merciful as me when it comes to people who stalk them." She flushed at the mention of that. She perked up at his next comment. "If you want to thank me..."

"Yes?"

His head turned slightly, enough to show her a deep blue eye the likes of which she'd never seen before. Her stomach did a little flip, and she angrily told it to stay still.

"Stay alive until we meet again."

With that, he turned and walked away, the sound of his boots on the cobblestone echoing as he rounded the corner and disappeared into the night.

The girl frowned, then returned to the pile of food she'd been so graciously given. She didn't feel hungry anymore. Absent mindedly, she put the food in her inventory as she focused her mind on the all-too real enigma that was the man she had just met. How could someone be so kind one minute, then so...so...fierce, the next?

For a brief moment, when his blade had touched her throat, she thought she was dead, having unintentionally picked a fight with the wrong person. Then she saw his eyes. Eyes that had been honed through blood and iron and fire. Eyes that had seen more than she had. So much more.

She reigned in her stray thoughts with a blush and shake of her head. Finished packing the food in her inventory, she was struck by a stray thought that had her rooted to the ground.

'_I don't even know his name_.'

Sure, she hadn't given hers, either, but he hadn't asked. Still, she wanted to know his name. The name of this stranger that had willingly given her every scrap of food in his inventory without a second thought.

'_Stay alive until we meet again._'

A small grin curved her lips, and she nodded to herself. _'I'll stay alive. If only to learn your name.'_

* * *

_**Thar. First chapter done. Hope you've enjoyed it so far. Asuna may be a bit OOC, but she'll stick mostly to canon. Same for Klein. Anywho, looking forward to the next chapter. Comment, rate, review, like, favorite, subscribe, clean the floors, scrub the toilet, and wash the shower head. Do all those things that you do. Until next time.**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Illfang, the Kobold Lord**

"Alright, now that the strategy has been laid out, I want you all to break into groups of 5 or 6. Party up, share any items or equipment that you need to, and get yourselves ready. We're assailing the Boss Room tonight."

Yuuto scoffed lightly. He needed no preparation. He could kill the boss by himself, and he knew it. At most, it was only level 7 or 8, nowhere near the level he'd reached training in the monster-filled forests of the first floor. He was just glad that they had finally found the damn room to begin with.

"HOLD ON JUST ONE SECOND!"

Yuuto quirked an eyebrow, watching a youth vault himself over several stunned players and land in the center, where Diabel, the faction leader, stood with a befuddled expression.

"Uh-"

"Let me...*huff*...say something first."

"Uh...sure. Go ahead." Diabel wasn't about to question this man, since his 'passion' was all aflame for whatever reason.

Regaining his breath, the youth turned to the crowd, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry about the entrance." His expression changed to one of seriousness. "My name is Kibaou, level 6 player, and I've got a beef to pick with the beta testers!"

"That's right, I know you're out there! When the death game was announced, during the mass hysteria and confusion that followed, the beta testers took off ahead of the others, snatching up all the good quests, rare items, and special hunting grounds before the rest of us! They had prior knowledge of the game, and they took advantage of the ignorance of first-time players to gather up all the good stuff for themselves!"

"Thus, I think it's only fair that every beta tester here come forward and empty out their inventories and money pouches, so as to share the wealth that they've so selfishly hoarded!"

Silence met his proclamation, then a bald, dark-skinned man in his mid to late 20's stepped forward.

"That's right, all beta testers come forward! Share the...wealth..."

Kibaou began to pale as the black man came to stand before him, easily a foot taller than him and blocking out the sun where he stood.

"You think that all the beta testers should give up what they've worked for to other players? Am I hearing this right?"

Kibaou gulped, but hardened his resolve and nodded. "YES! They're cheaters and don't deserve-"

"Don't deserve what?" Reaching behind himself, Kibaou opened his mouth to protest as the dark man pulled out a book, silencing any protest Kibaou was about to make in favor of confusion.

"Did you not get this book when you first started?"

Blinking, Kibaou nodded. "Yeah, I did."

Turning to the crowd, the man raised the book above his head. "Did you not all get the exact same book?" At the unanimous voice of agreement from the crowd, he continued. "This book was _made_, wholly and completely, _by_ those so called "selfish" beta testers. This book has saved _countless_ lives, having prevented novice players from walking into traps and situations that they couldn't have otherwise avoided."

Turning to the now-mollified Kibaou, he promptly slapped the book against the man's forehead before putting it back in his pouch. "To say that the beta testers don't deserve the same right as everyone else to do quests, gather items, and work as hard as they can to clear the game that we are ALL trapped in is the epitome of foolishness."

With that, the man turned and walked back to his seat, leaving a very embarrassed Kibaou to quietly walk off the stage. Yuuto immediately put the dark man in his good book. Very impressive, if he did say so himself.

Diabel cleared his throat. "Erm...well, now that that's out of the way, if you will kindly get into the groups I mentioned before..."

Yuuto remained rooted to his spot as everyone else proceeded to gravitate towards one another, leaving him by himself.

Or so he thought.

"Mind if I sit here?"

Not looking up, Yuuto chuckled but nodded. "Sure. You know, I'm not entirely sure on whether I should be flattered or worried that you keep following me."

The girl he'd met the previous night huffed as she sat down next to him, her brown cloak billowing slightly. "Well, I would think a man would be honored to have such a pretty girl seek his attention, don't you?"

Yuuto shrugged. "Perhaps. Although I'd wonder about her motives."

Stammering, the girl flushed slightly. "I...you...it's not LIKE that!"

Yuuto smirked. "Sure. Whatever. So, what's your name?"

At her confused look, he repeated himself. "I never asked your name yesterday. Since I get the feeling we're going to be partnering up, since you asked to sit near me and all, I'd like to be able to call you something other than "you" or "girl"."

Ahh'ing to herself, she extended a hand. "My name is Asuna. And you?"

Taking her hand in his, he momentarily marveled at how soft her skin was. "Yuuto."

Smiling like she'd won the lottery, Asuna nodded. "Yuuto. I like it."

Yuuto chuckled. "Good. I'm not about to change my birth name, so if you didn't like it, that would be troublesome."

Asuna poked his shoulder. "You use your real name, too?"

Yuuto quirked an eyebrow, leaning back against the higher steps and folding his arms behind his head. "Yeah, so?"

Asuna pointed to herself. "Me, too. We must be like the only two people who do that."

Yuuto shrugged. "Meh, coming up with different names all the time would irritate my brain, especially trying to remember them all. I stick with what works."

At Diabel's announcement of when they were to regroup, same spot, at 7 PM AST (Aincrad Standard Time), Yuuto stood and began to leave without a word.

"Oi, wait up."

Rolling his eyes, Yuuto looked back to watch his tagalong rush over to catch up. "So, what'cha want to do until 7?"

"Hm, I was going to sleep, actually."

She stared at him. "Really? It's friggin' noon!"

Yuuto shrugged, yawning as he continued up the steps. "So? I didn't sleep last night so I figured I could use the rest."

Blinking, she grinned playfully as she followed him. "Ara, someone was up all night? Thinking about someone they met, hm?"

"I was cleaning my blade."

Her sound of indignation made him grin, but her next question made it vanish. "Wait, cleaning your blade? You don't need to do that in this game."

Shrugging, he got to the top of the stairs and started heading for a street corner. "Yeah, it's a habit of mine. I've had plenty of occasion to do so."

"Y-you have? You mean...you use a sword IRL (in real life)?"

He nodded, and heard her gasp. Figuring she was about to run away in fear, he was unprepared for her arm around his as she bounced excitedly next to him. "Ne, what's it like? What kind of sword do you use? Have you killed anyone with it? How many? Do you-"

He clamped a hand over her mouth before his headache got any worse. "You sure are a feisty one, Asuna. One question at a time, please."

She bit his hand, and he hissed as she shook it. "Proper gentleman don't do what you just did, Yuuto-kun."

Part of him recognized the -kun attached to his name, but the rest of him ignored it. "Proper ladies don't attach themselves to men they've barely met twice while bouncing up and down like a schoolgirl on crack babbling out curious questions like they've got a motor running their mouth."

A second cry of indignation was heard, and Yuuto grinned before stopping, hands reaching his crotch as he doubled over in pure agony, Asuna's foot planted firmly between his legs.

"How dare you?!"

Words could not begin to describe the pain, and Yuuto briefly wondered why he could punch Klein in the testicles and the other male would feel no pain, yet his testicles were currently screaming bloody murder from this girl's kick.

'_Must be part of the program..._' he dimly thought amidst the searing pain in his loins.

"A-are you okay? I didn't kick you _that_ hard...did I?"

Falling to his knees, Yuuto promptly curled into the fetal position as his body ran damage control.

"Ne, I'm sorry! I didn't mean...I...I'm sorry!"

"Words...not now...get me...to the corner...gonna hurl..."

Complying immediately, Asuna bodily dragged Yuuto to the corner, where said man promptly dry-heaved into the sewer drain. Standing on shaky legs, Yuuto leaned against the wall and wiped the sweat from his face.

"I'm sorry! I didn't-"

"Never. Again."

She clammed up as he spoke. He gave her a look that promised so much if she hit him there again. "I swear to GOD, if you kick me there again, I will...will...gah!"

Anger taking over, he whirled around and stalked away, her cries for him to wait up going unheard as he made his way back to his hotel to sleep off the agony.

* * *

As 7 PM came and went, the party trudged through the murky dark, reaching a large doorway. Diabel in the lead, he made sure everyone was ready before pushing hard against the door, the wood creaking as it opened.

As soon as the door was opened, harsh breathing could be heard, followed by torches flaring to life, the flames illuminating the room in a brilliant orange-yellow glow. At the far end of the room, the first Floor Boss, Illfang the Kobold Lord, sat on his throne. Upon seeing the party, he stood, grasping his shield and axe as he took the steps one at a time, slowly reaching the bottom of the throne's staircase as the party ambled into the room.

"Remember people, exactly as we planned."

Yuuto held back a retort, hating the fact that he was delegated the job of eliminating the boss' guards. Biting his tongue, he merely nodded, Asuna already drawing her blade next to him, discarding her brown cloak as she did so. Her outfit consisted of a gray breastplate over a yellowish shirt, yellow armgloves, a red pleated skirt, white shoes and white stockings that went to mid-thigh.

The others did the same, getting into their positions as Yuuto stood stock still.

"Aren't you going to draw your sword?"

Yuuto shot Asuna a look. "No need. I could kill the boss by myself. His guards don't even warrant my blade."

She shot him an incredulous look, and several party members snorted at his proclamation, one mumbling, "Sure, go get yourself killed, asshole."

Within seconds, Illfang roared, his guards appearing from thin air as he and the party charged one another. As planned, the tanks were up front, buffering the damage for the rest of the party while groups rotated one at a time, each taking shots at Illfang once he was stunned.

Yuuto easily dispached a guard that came running at him, barely moving as the blade passed through the air where his head had once been. Bringing his fist up, it glowed yellow as he put it through the guard's skull, the creature roaring in agony before exploding into shards. Nearby, Asuna ran her blade through a guard's torso, the monster squealing in protest before going up in a similar manner.

In short, each set of guards were defeated, as Illfang's health went lower and lower. Finally, when it reached the last of his three bars of health, he tossed aside his shield and axe, making a grab for the weapon strapped to his lower back.

Diabel ordered everyone to fall back and, to Yuuto's horror, charged the boss himself, blade held aloft as he went for the LA (Last Attack) bonus item.

"YOU DUMBASS! GET BACK!"

Yuuto's words went unheard as Diabel swung his sword, intent on delivering the final blow. Unfortunately, the Illfang of the beta test and the Illfang of THIS game weren't one in the same.

The Illfang of the beta test would have switched to a Talwar, a powerful but sluggish blade that would mean an easy kill for a speed player like Diabel.

The Illfang of this game, however, switched to a nodachi and leapt high into the air, Diabel's attack completely missing as the boss sprung from pillar to pillar, before propelling himself straight at Diabel, the man unable to retreat and unable to block such a powerful attack.

His sword shattered, bursting into shards as a thick red line drew itself across his chest, cutting deeply as he was flung clear across the room, slamming back-first into a pillar and slumping to the ground.

Cursing, Yuuto was by his side in an instant, pulling out a health vial and offering it to Diabel. "Here, take this. It'll restore your health and-"

He stopped when Diabel pushed the vial away, his health gauge continuing to drop as he struggled to breath. "No...I don't...need it...You were right...I shouldn't have tried...for the LA bonus..."

Yuuto nodded. "You were a beta tester, weren't you?"

Diabel nodded. "So...were you, apparently...I ask only...one favor, before I die..."

His health gauge was quickly dropping into the red. "Lead them...don't be selfish...like I was...show them how to...clear this game...without dying...please..."

Yuuto nodded, but was caught off guard by his next request. "And make sure...that they can get along...don't let them...divide themselves..."

His health dropped from 100, to 50, to 10, to 5, then 0. With a smile, Diabel shattered like so much glass.

His fist clenching tightly around the rejected health vial, Yuuto stood and pocketed the item, drawing his sword as he turned to watch Illfang's rampage though the parties' ranks, health bars dropping lower and lower with each attack.

Striding forward, he deftly moved through the ranks of panting soldiers, past Asuna who was holding her own barely against the boss, and deftly moved past its' guard, slicing off Illfang's left arm in a shower of blue-green shards.

Stunned, Asuna and the others watched as Yuuto narrowly dodged a strike meant to split him vertically down the middle, his blade coming up and knocking the bosses' away before he drew it across its' belly, causing it to roar in agony and swing again.

Turning, Yuuto regarded the other party members as he parried without looking, pushing the blade to the side and slashing across the boss' stomach once more. "Look here. Watch how he telegraphs his moves. Use this to your advantage and block, parry, or dodge. Don't just trade attacks. His strength is far greater than yours, but his speed is lacking."

Asuna watched in awe as Yuuto single-handedly took care of the boss they'd been having so much trouble with.

'_Aren't you going to draw your sword?' 'No need. I could kill the boss by myself...'_

"Yuuto-kun..."

Avoiding another strike with minimal effort, Yuuto knocked the blade away again, this time slicing one of Illfang's legs clean off, the beast thundering to the ground as it writhed in pain. Twirling his blade once, Yuuto sheathed it and began walking away. He was forced to stop lest he collide with Asuna, who'd suddenly appeared in front of him, eyes wide.

"Why did you stop?"

Asuna's question made him quirk a brow. "So others can get the Last Attack bonus. They probably need it more than I do, anyway."

Her eyes widened, then she turned and looked at the downed Illfang, who was struggling to stand on one leg and failing miserably. Drawing her blade, she took several quick strides and embedded her blade in Illfang's head, the creature squealing before exploding in a huge shower of blue-green shards.

Yuuto smiled softly, and was about to turn when he saw Asuna approach him with determined eyes. Grabbing his hand, she forced his menu open, opening her own and approving the transfer of an item. Letting him take his hand back, she smirked as he curiously opened his inventory.

"Coat of Midnight? This is..."

"The Last Attack bonus item. I got the Exp. for dealing the last blow, but you get the item since it was through you that we were able to defeat the boss anyway."

Yuuto shook his head, but couldn't help a small smile that crept onto his face. "If you insist."

Cheers and shouts echoed through the boss room, as people celebrated their victory and subsequent leveling up from the boss fight.

All of this was cut short with a shout of, "DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP!"

The room fell silent, and everyone turned to see Kibaou punching the floor, anger etched into his face as he promptly pointed a finger at Yuuto. "YOU! YOU FUCKING CHEATER! YOU **KNEW** THAT ILLFANG'S WEAPON WAS DIFFERENT! THAT'S WHY YOU TOLD DIABEL TO STOP, BECAUSE YOU KNEW! YOU'RE A FUCKING BETA TESTER!"

Murmurs of surprise and shock echoed through the crowd as Kibaou continued. "I SAW YOU! YOU WATCHED DIABEL DIE AND DID NOTHING TO HELP HIM! **NOTHING!**"

Asuna had seen the whole ordeal, and it was nothing like Kibaou described. "Liar! He did everything he could to save-"

"_So what if I did?_"

His voice cut through the room like a blade, and left Asuna shocked into silence as Yuuto strode calmly over to Kibaou, scrolling though his menu as he did so. "So what if I let him die? He was weak, pathetic, trying to play hero in a death game. He lived like a fool and died like one."

Kibaou roared, drawing his blade and pointing it at Yuuto. "SEE? I KNEW IT, HE'S A CHEATER AND A BETA TESTER! HE'S A BEATER!"

"Beta tester? Don't compare me with those weaklings."

Kibaou's face twisted in confusion, and then fear as Yuuto finally selected the Coat of Midnight, donning the equipment, the black cowl swishing with each step he took. "I'm far more powerful than those pathetic souls. I was the only one who managed to clear a quarter of the game during the beta test."

Shock rippled through the room, and cries of disbelief echoed off the walls as Asuna stood rooted to the spot.

_'...a quarter of the game_...'

"That's impossible! The press release said only the 8th floor was cleared!"

"The press release LIED!" Silence once again reigned supreme as Yuuto stopped just a few feet from Kibaou. "Of course it lied. They wouldn't want press like that, wouldn't want to let the public know that someone had already beaten a fourth of their game before it had even hit the shelves. No way. This was supposed to be the game to beat all games! They couldn't have some upstart like me ruining it for them!"

Yuuto grinned wickedly, pointing to Kibaou's blade. "Still think that's a good idea, punk? After all, you were the one who said I killed Diabel, weren't you? What makes you think I won't kill you, too?"

Kibaou dropped his sword, the blade clanking to the ground as he fell on his backside trembling, his fear growing as Yuuto stooped to pick it up, handling it as if it was a child's toy.

"P-p-please...d-don't-"

He felt the edge of his own sword pressed against his throat, and steel-blue eyes boring into his. "Don't what? Don't end your pitiful existence? Don't make you piss yourself in fear? Do you take me for someone who would kill a coward such as yourself? Don't make me laugh. My blade...this blade...any blade...would be wasted on killing you. You're not worthy of such an honor as death."

Gripping the hilt tightly, he rammed it into the ground between Kibaou's legs. "No, you deserve to live in fear, shame, and despair. People like you deserve every bad thing that happens to them in life. So go crawl back into the hole from whence you came, you pathetic worm. Get out of my sight."

With that, Yuuto turned sharply, his coat flapping as he strode away, not even glancing at Asuna as he made his way to the staircase that would take him to the next level.

After a moment of stunned silence, Kibaou shakily got to his feet, trying to ignore the feeling of piss running down his leg as he gripped his sword and tugged for a moment just to get the blade out of the furrow Yuuto had dug it into.

Asuna watched as the group began to disperse, and whirled around before sprinting in the other direction, heading towards the staircase that Yuuto had gone to.

He was nearly to the top of the staircase by the time she caught up to him. "Yuuto-kun! Wait!"

His foot planted on the final step, Yuuto turned and looked at Asuna. "Yes?"

She glared angrily at him. "What was that about? You just alienated a room full of potential allies-"

"I don't _need_ allies."

Her heart beat painfully in her chest at that proclamation, the pain doubling as he scrolled through his menu and removed her from his party. It felt as if he'd cut a chord that had been connecting them to one another, leaving her to flail about in the darkness.

"B-but..."

"I work alone, Asuna. Always have, always will. I don't trust people, because humans are weak, fragile creatures that seek nothing but their own personal benefit. I don't try to fight my nature. Rather, I push myself to become better than human. I push myself to become a warrior. I have no delusions of grandeur, nor do I believe I'm better than everyone else. However, people like Kibaou...people like him I cannot stand. Weaklings that parade around spouting their own strength to the world like it's a contest to be won."

Turning, he paused before adding, "However, I do not mind people like you, Asuna. You're kind, sweet, gentle, and a good person at heart. A piece of advice: Once you find someone you can trust, don't let them go. Hang onto them with all your heart and soul, because there are few people in this world that are worthy of such."

With that, he turned and pushed through the door leading to the second floor, leaving Asuna standing there with a throbbing heart and a spinning mind, one thought prevalent amidst the torrent of thoughts:

'_...I trust you, though...'_

* * *

**Second chapter done. Comment, rate, review, all that good stuff.**

**Till next time.**

**-Sgt. Assassin**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: You're Only Human**

Yuuto lifted his drink, downing half of the ale in one gulp as he looked at the party of 5 before him, celebrating their victory against a mini-boss on the 11th Floor.

"Here's to us, the Black Cats of the Full Moon! Kanpai!" cried Ducker, the other members echoing his statement before clinking glasses together. "And here's to Yuuto-san, who saved our sorry asses!" Rounds of laughter at his good-natured ribbing were followed by a round of thank-yous from the party, each expressing their gratitude at his timely arrival.

They'd been having trouble with the mid-level boss, "The Guardian of the Forest" and were about to forgo the quest and teleport out of there empty-handed when Yuuto stumbled upon them, noticing their distress and quickly dropping the mini-boss to its' knees with few strikes, allowing Keita, the party leader, to deal the finishing blow.

Sachi, the only female of the team, wiped her eyes when she expressed her thanks. "I was really scared. I thought I was going to die. Then, when you came to save m-US, I was so happy." She blushed slightly at her slip up, but Yuuto pretended to not notice.

"It was nothing. I'm just glad I was able to help."

Keita wrapped an arm around Yuuto's neck, and leaned over to whisper into his ear in a conspiratorial manner. "Hey, Yuuto-san, I know it's rude to ask, but what level are you?"

Looking off to the side, Yuuto glanced at his gauge: it read Lvl. 50.

"Uh, level 25 or so."

"Wow, that's not too different from ours! You solo players are awesome!"

Yuuto shook his head, raising his glass for another swallow of ale. "Not really. Solo players pick isolated enemies, and use those tactics to level up. On top of that, they typically pick enemies that will give them a lot of experience, as by themselves, they don't have anyone else to worry about. It's fairly simple, when you think about it."

"Ahh, it makes sense now. But still, you managed to deal heavy damage to that Guardian. You must grind like crazy to get that strong at such a low level."

Yuuto set his glass down with a shrug. "It is what it is. That's all there is to it."

Keita frowned, wanting to dig for more trade secrets but not wanting to come off too rude to their savior. He pulled back and addressed Yuuto with a normal voice. "Well, what would you think about joining our party? We could definitely use someone like you."

He strode over and patted Sachi on the head. "Since Tetsuo is the only one we can put on vanguard, as he's a mace-user, we've been trying to get Sachi here to switch to a sword and shield so she can be on the front line, but she's said she's not quite ready for that. We'd put you on the front line instead, and if you're up for it, you could show her how it's done."

She shook his hand off her head and gave Keita a frown. "Don't talk about me like I'm useless. You know I can't go on the front line. I'd get too scared."

Tetsuo grinned. "Just hide behind your shield."

Keita huffed a sigh. "You've always been a scaredy-cat." A round of laughter rose up as Sachi huffed, cheeks turning pink at their teasing. Gesturing with his hand, Keita spoke. "Everyone in our guild is from our Computer Research Club." As if realizing his blunder, Keita spoke quickly. "A-ah, but don't worry! You'll fit right in soon enough. Right, everyone?"

Everyone grinned and nodded except Sachi, who smiled softly and nodded.

Yuuto looked down at his empty glass. He wanted to accept their offer, for some strange reason. He didn't know what it was about these people, but they seemed...nice. Laid back. A fun group to be around. Normally the thought of joining a guild or party would chafe at his lone-dog nature, but with these people...

"...Alright. I accept. After all, how couldn't I with such begging?"

Laughter at his teasing was mixed with cheers and shouts. "YOSH! Let's all do our best! Welcome to the Black Cats, Yuuto-san!"

* * *

The praying mantis hissed as it swung its' scythe-like appendage, Keita dodging the blow as he switched with Sachi, who hesitantly stepped forward. The mantis hissed again, its' maw gaping to reveal green saliva and rows of sharp, needle-like teeth.

Sachi cringed, missing her opportunity to strike a blow as it reared its' next claw back and attacked, striking her shield and driving her back several steps.

Yuuto shook his head, and motioned for her to switch with him. She did so with a crestfallen look.

"Hey, don't go feeling down on yourself. I need you to pay attention, Sachi. You'll get this with time." Yuuto consoled, not even looking at the creature as he deflected a shot aimed for his back, the mantis hissing in anger at its' deflected shot.

"One of the best ways to weaken a creature like this is to disarm it or amputate a limb. Their power goes down drastically, just like it would if you lost a limb in real life. Watch closely." She did just that, eyes widening, as he sidestepped a blow meant to cleave him in twain, before lopping off the creature's arm, its' cry of pain echoing through the forest as the amputated limb sunk into the earth blade first before dispersing in a cloud of shards.

"Now you try. Switch."

Nodding, she steeled her resolve and took Yuuto's place, deflecting the follow-up attack with ease and slicing off its' other arm. The mantis wriggled in pure agony, before Tetsuo charged it with his mace aglow, dealing the final blow to its' midsection, the creature squealing in pain before exploding into shards.

The guild cheered its' victory, while Yuuto stood back with a small smile on his face. He noticed Sachi come over, and was shocked when she wrapped him in a hug, laughing happily.

"Thank you, Yuuto-san! I did it!"

Stunned, he carefully returned the hug with one arm, not entirely sure how to go about this.

"Uh...y-you're welcome?"

She giggled, and poked his arm. "You're so tense, Yuuto-san. Lighten up, we won!"

Yuuto nodded, still not entirely over that hug. "Uh, yeah."

She shook her head. "Maybe I should teach you how to be more laid back. You're such a serious person!"

Yuuto shrugged. "I _am_ a serious person."

Her response was interrupted by Keita plopping a hand onto Sachi's head, earning a squeak from the latter as he grinned. "Let's go back. We've done our training for the day."

Sachi blushed, shaking her head and getting his hand off it. "I'm not an armrest, Keita!"

Sasamaru smirked from off to the side. "Could have fooled me."

Laughter rose from the group, and Sachi blushed before yelling at Sasamaru to mind his own business. Even Yuuto broke into a grin, something that was abnormal for him.

'_I was right. These are good people. I could...get used to this.'_

* * *

"Ne, Yuuto-san?"

"Hm?"

"What's the difference between the lead groups and us?"

From his spot on the ground, Yuuto opened a lone eye to look at Keita, who had a copy of MMO Today, the in-game newspaper, in his hands.

"Hm...well, if I had to guess, I'd say that they've got at least one or two experienced players in their guilds, ones that know the fastest ways to get Exp. and where the best items are located, as well as the most efficient ways to complete quests."

"Some guilds probably even have a beta-tester or two in them, which allowed them to get far ahead of the others via that beta's knowledge of the first several levels. On top of all that, they don't share any of their trade secrets, leaving others to wander around for themselves, in a trial-by-fire sort of way."

Sighing, Keita put the paper away, flopping onto the grass and staring at the sky. "That's most definitely part of it."

Yuuto opened both eyes, intrigued by his response. "Part of it?"

Keita nodded. "Yeah, I think a chunk of it is simply willpower."

Yuuto couldn't help but break into a small smile. "You, my friend, know more than you're letting on."

Keita turned to look at him with mock-glee. "I'm the great Yuuto-san's friend now? Oh, I could just DIE from happiness~!" Laughing at his own joke, he turned and resumed looking at the sky.

"I suppose you could say it's a determination to protect one's friends and comrades...no, more like a determination to protect everyone. Like, even as we speak, they're protecting us. I'd like to think my willpower is just as strong."

Hooking a thumb at the rest of the Black Cats behind them, he continued. "Of course, our first priority is protecting our friends. But someday, we want to make it up there, to the top, and aid them. The rest of them that have worked so hard so we can enjoy days like these."

Yuuto, for the first time Keita had known him, broke into a full-blown smile. He had to blink rapidly just to make sure he wasn't imagining it. "You know, I think you're right, Keita. I think you're absolutely right. That kind of thinking...I admire you for that. Don't ever let it fade away. We need people with your mindset in this world. We're all stronger for it."

Keita blushed at the praise, and rubbed the back of his head. "Ara, maybe...-ack, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, DUCKER?!"

Ducker, while Keita had been distracted with Yuuto's praise, had snuck up behind him and wrapped him in a chokehold. "Hey leader, lookin' good~"

Tetsuo, Sasamaru, and Sachi came up behind them. Tetsuo put his hands on his hips and grinned at Yuuto. "So, we're going to be up there with the Knights of the Blood Oath and the Holy Dragon Alliance someday? I'm honored to hear that, Yuuto."

Keita grabbed at Ducker's arm. "I don't want to hear anything about setting big goals like that. First, we all need to hit level 30."

As the playful banter and grappling continued, Yuuto closed his eyes and contemplated his new friends and allies. Tch, he was such a hypocrite. Or was he? Sure, he didn't need allies. No one truly needed allies. And yet...part of him actually _wanted_ allies. These allies, that he currently had.

No, more than that. He wanted...friends.

Mentally shaking himself, he pondered on when his mindset had changed. He'd been going solo for months, only interacting with NCPs and the occasional blacksmith/information broker.

Although lately, he'd been leaning more towards making Argo the Rat his personal information broker, as everyone else he'd tried either had false or outdated information. Plus, she was the one who'd written the self-help guide that had been given to all newbie players when they first started SAO. Her sources were reliable, her information sound, and she met with him in person, which was much better than through a stand-in.

Again, he mentally shook himself. He was getting off-topic.

One thing was certain, he thought to himself. If the Black Cats ever grew up and made it to the front lines, Keita's ideas would most certainly change the atmosphere that was currently up there. Granted, he'd been to the front lines, and while their tactics were brutal, they were certainly effective.

But, perhaps, a more...player-friendly approach was necessary.

* * *

Later on that night, Keita called a team meeting after dinner.

"I've got good news for all of us. As of today's hunt, we've saved up 20,000 Cor! Pretty soon, we'll be able to afford our own house!"

Sounds of surprised joy echoed through the room, with Yuuto only nodding.

"Ne, I've been thinking..." started Sasamaru.

Ducker chuckled. "When has _that_ been a good thing?"

Rounds of roared laughter were pierced by, "Hush, Ducker! You're one to talk!"

After the joviality died down, Sasamaru continued. "I was thinking that we should get Sachi some new equipment. Hers is starting to get worn down, and we can only have it repaired so many times before it breaks."

She shook her head, even as the others voiced their agreement. "Nah, I'm fine with what I've got."

Tetsuo slapped her back playfully, nearly vaulting her off the bed. "Don't be silly. After all, we can't always have Yuuto protecting us."

Said man shook his head. "Sachi does just fine. She just needs a bit more experience, and she'll be a front-liner in no time."

She blushed at that, but said nothing.

Keita held out a fist, grinning. "Well, everyone. Do your best. We're almost there."

* * *

After everyone had gone to bed, Yuuto rolled out of his, still dressed, and quietly closed the door behind him.

Teleporting to the mid-level plains, he shook his head as he gazed out at the other players hunting the wolves that roamed here.

"Looks like this place has been settled finally. Almost time to move on."

Scanning the area, he blinked when he noticed a familiar figure running across the landscape, a wolf hot on his heels.

Klein looked much different compared to the first time he'd seen him. The red bandana was still in place on his head, but everything else had drastically changed. His outfit was similar in style to the samurai of old, what looked like an outdated brown leather armor on top of a blood-red shirt, upper and lower brown arm guards matching upper and lower brown leg guards, his hands gloved in black with brown hand guards. A red overlapping armored skirt covered his nether regions, and filled in the empty space where his armored breastplate and upper armored leggings ended.

Turning suddenly, the wolf had no time to react as Klein brought his blade around in a sweeping horizontal arc, the katana slicing through the wolf's open maw and into its' side effortlessly before Klein brought it across the rest of the way, bisecting the beast before it exploded into blue-green shards.

Huffing, Klein wiped his brow. Almost as if he'd sensed another presence, he turned and gazed at the hilltop, eyes widening as Yuuto descended.

"Yuuto? OI, YUUTO!" Turning to his guildmates, he spoke. "Clean up the rest of this trash. I'll be back in a minute."

Getting a shout of confirmation from one of them, he turned and sprinted over to where Yuuto had just finished walking down. "Yuuto, long time no see, man! I haven't heard from you in months! Where have you been?"

Yuuto shrugged. "Around."

Klein shook his head. "Same old Yuuto. Ye of little words." He cocked an eyebrow when he looked at Yuuto again. "Uh...that mark. Is that what I think it is?"

At Yuuto's confused look, he elaborated. "Did you join a guild?"

Yuuto's eyes widened, then he cursed mentally. '_Should have known it would show guild membership on my public display._'

He took a moment to respond, then,"...Yeah, Klein. I did."

Said man shook his head. "You're such a hypocrite, dude. 'I work alone. Always have, always will.' Remember that?" He laughed at his own joke, having dropped his voice in a pathetic attempt to sound like Yuuto.

"Shut up, Klein. I have my reasons."

Klein quirked an eyebrow. "Do they include a pretty girl?" At Yuuto's small blush, Klein lost it, guffawing louder than ever. "Oh my God, THEY DO! I can't believe it! This is priceless!"

Growling, Yuuto pushed Klein aside as the man gripped his sides and broke into muscle-cramping laughter, headed for the inner forests. After Klein got control of his laughter, he chased after him. "Oi, wait, I was just joking! I'm sorry, wait up!"

After Yuuto slowed to a stop, Klein clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I was kidding, seriously."

Yuuto gave him a glare. "I fail to find the humor in it."

Klein shook his head. "Seriously, man, I'm glad you found people to be around. No one should be alone forever."

Yuuto shook his hand from his shoulder. "I'm not just anyone, Klein."

Klein's eyes narrowed slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Yuuto gave him a look. "Take it for what you will. Regardless, it was good to see you again, Klein. Hope you stay alive until we meet again."

With that, Yuuto turned and left, his cowl swishing as he entered the monster-infested forests that Klein and his party normally steered clear from.

With a sigh, and one last look at the darkened trees, Klein turned and left with a mumble of, "You too, Yuuto. Take care of yourself, man."

* * *

The square glowed a dull blue as Yuuto entered it via teleport crystal, the glow dying down as he strode from the platform.

He'd barely gotten off it when his inbox blinked orange, indicating a new message.

Opening it, it read:

"Sachi has left, and has not returned in several hours. We're headed to the dungeon area. If you learn anything, or find out where she is, please let me know. -Keita"

The first thought that crossed Yuuto's mind was, '_Well fuck. Now they know about my nightly __escapades into the forests. Or at least they know that I'm not sleeping when they thought I was.'_

The second thought that crossed his mind was, '_If I were Sachi, where would I go? First off, why would she leave in the first place?'_

After considering Sachi's behavior and her hesitation to do the front line this morning, he had a fairly good idea of where to find her.

Even so, he activated his Tracking skill, and with little effort, located the 'lost' party member.

He found her under a street bridge, her arms around her knees as she hunkered down, seemingly lost in thought. Her head jerked up as he called her name softly, her hands immediately coming up to wipe at her slightly red eyes.

"Yuuto-kun..I..."

Leaning against the wall a few feet from her, he smiled softly. "You don't have to explain anything, Sachi. It's fine. I'm just glad I found you, is all."

She smiled softly, then frowned and looked away. "I'm sorry I didn't tell anyone where I was going."

He shook his head. "No, it's fine. Sometimes you need time to yourself, and that's not exactly easy to get in a group like the Black Cats."

She laughed softly. "You've got that right."

Yuuto let the silence go for a bit, then, "What's troubling you, Sachi?"

She sighed. "Yuuto-kun...let's run away together."

Yuuto immediately flared a bright crimson. "W-what?"

"Let's run away. From this town, from the monsters, from the Black Cats...from Sword Art Online."

Yuuto's face lost the blush. "Are you asking...for my help in committing suicide?"

Shrugging, she replied. "That'd be okay, I guess...no, I'm sorry. If I had the courage to kill myself, I'd have done it when the death game was first announced. Plus, if I wanted to die, why would I hide in the safety of the town?"

Shaking her head, she looked at the water flowing under the bridge. "Ne, why do you think we're stuck in here? Why do we have to die, even though it's a stupid game? What's the POINT of all this?" Tears flowed freely down her face, and she buried it in her thighs.

Yuuto sighed. He'd pondered this question before, and gave her the same answer he came up with months ago. "There IS no point, Sachi. Logic does not hold sway over madness, and Kayaba Akihiko is clearly mad. He created this game, trapped us all in here, and makes us fight to the death for his amusement because he wants to, simple as that. He fancies himself a king, nay, a god, and we his subjects or pawns."

Wiping her eyes, she spoke. "...I...I don't want to die, Yuuto-kun. I'm so afraid of dying. I've been so scared, I haven't slept lately. I can't help but think I'll die tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that. I don't want to die, Yuuto-kun."

Yuuto sighed, closing his eyes. "You don't have to worry about that, Sachi."

Her eyes widened, and she looked over at him. "I don't?"

He shook his head slightly. "No, you don't. Because I'll protect you. I'll keep you safe. I won't let you die." Opening his eyes, his steel-blue gaze bore into hers. "I promise this to you, as a man and as a warrior."

She blushed, but reached up and wiped her eyes, smiling. "T-thank you, Yuuto-kun. That...makes me happy to hear."

Yuuto flashed her a smile, causing her to blush even more. She found his rare smiles to be...pretty cute.

"Besides, the Black Cats are a strong guild. Our margin of safety is well above average. There'll be no problems." Pushing off of the wall, Yuuto walked over and knelt by Sachi, holding out his hand. "Come. We should be getting back. The others are worried about you."

Blinking, she smiled softly and nodded, grasping his hand and allowing him to help her up, the two of them heading back to the inn.

Upon arriving there, they headed up to their rooms. Yuuto was fairly surprised that they weren't back from the dungeon yet, so he sent Keita a message informing him that he'd found Saichi, and they were both safe at the inn.

"There, that should take care of their worries. As for now, I think we should get some sleep." Yuuto turned, and had his hand on the door before a hand grabbed his.

"Yuuto-kun..."

Turning, he blinked as Sachi continued. "I...would you mind...if you stayed in here, tonight?"

Yuuto's cheeks turned a slight red, and she quickly realized her verbal blunder. "A-a-ah, I mean, I want you to sleep with me-I MEAN, I d-don't want to be alone tonight, and feel that I would sleep better if you were...in here with me." Her face was beet red, and she had let go of his hand in favor of wringing them together in embarrassment.

Yuuto turned and, forcing himself, wrapped her in a small hug, causing her to squeak in surprise. "Sure, I'll stay in here if you want me to. You need to get a good night's sleep, Sachi, so it's the least I can do."

Pretty sure her face was as red as humanly possible, she returned the hug, albeit a bit tighter than her usual ones. "T-t-thank you, Yuuto-kun..."

Letting go, he opened his inventory and took out a bedroll, laying it next to her bed as he took off his coat and shoes. Eyes widening, she realized his intent. "Wait, you don't have to sleep on the floor!"

Cocking an eyebrow, Yuuto stopped his preparations. "Then where do you suggest I sleep?"

Face once more turning beet red, Sachi pointed to her bed. "W-we can share t-the bed. I-i'll behave myself, I promise!"

Shaking his head, Yuuto sighed as he gathered up his bedroll and tucked it back into his inventory. "Alright, if you insist. Just don't expect me to be there when you wake up. It'll look...unsavory if the others find us in the same bed, and I don't want a fight on my hands that early in the morning."

She nodded so fast he was afraid her head was going to pop off, and he turned around as she proceeded to get into her nightwear. Once she let him know she was in the bed, he proceeded to strip down to his boxers, as was his custom nightwear, before slipping into the bed beside her, trying his best to ignore the full-blown blush on his roommate's cheeks when he turned around to enter the bed.

As the lights went off, Yuuto felt the bed shift. Opening his eyes, he looked over at Sachi, who was staring at him.

"What's the matter?"

She shook her head, and made to turn back over, but he grabbed her shoulder. "I made a promise, Sachi. I'll protect you. So will everyone else. You're going to survive this. I swear it."

Smiling, she nodded, closing her eyes. She was asleep within a minute.

Turning and looking at the ceiling, Yuuto reaffirmed his promise in his mind. '_That's right. I'll protect you. I'll protect all of you. I've found people I trust. I'll take my own advice, and hold onto them with all my might.'_

One of his hands curled into a fist._ 'I'll protect all of you. I promise.'_

* * *

_**Chapter 3, red hot and ready for the stands!**_

_**Those of you who have read/seen SAO know what's coming next, but I'm not about to spoil it for those of you who don't. Just know that the next chapter is going to be a very emotional one.**_

_**Some of you may or may not wonder how Yuuto's gone from cold-blooded, apathetic killer to guardian and protector in such a short time. Well, consider the fact that he's been fighting for his life, and for others' lives, every day for the past several months. Life or death situations can change a guy, and if you're around others who are in the exact same situation as you, that can have you develop empathy and sympathy for people, when previously you wouldn't have cared at all.**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Never Should Have Opened Up**

This wasn't happening, he thought numbly, as his blade carved a swath of death and destruction through the endless ranks of golems and dwarves that had been mass-summoned.

They hadn't gone off on a dungeon quest mere minutes after Keita had gone to get the keys to their new house that they'd painstakingly worked weeks to earn money for.

They hadn't gone into a room with a treasure chest sitting oddly in the middle of it, unguarded and free for the taking.

Ducker hadn't opened the chest, causing the room to turn red and the door behind them to slam shut, the click of a lock ensuring that they weren't getting out anytime soon.

The room hadn't filled with literally dozens of golem and dwarf monsters, crowding the already small space with a very visible threat.

And he hadn't just watched Ducker knocked to the ground by a surprise attack, then viciously beaten to death by 4 dwarven pickaxes, his cries of agony snuffed out in a flurry of blue-green shards.

Tetsuo cried out, momentarily distracted by his friend's death and not able to block when a golem cracked its' fist across his face, causing him to follow his friend as he exploded into shards.

Sasamaru roared in anger and sorrow, bringing his spear back and attacking the very same golem that had killed his friend, impaling the beast with a yell of rage.

His yell was cut short as the beast reared back and punched him straight in the gut, before shattering from Sasamaru's attack. Stunned, Sasamaru was unable to block another golem's attack, this one causing him to follow his comrades in death.

Yuuto cried out in anger, his blade slicing though 6 dwarves in one stroke, all of them going up in clouds of shards as he charged towards the last remaining teammate he had.

'_Sachi...I've got to protect...Sachi...at least her...'_

She was doing no better than her former friends, only able to trade attacks against the overwhelming number of enemies.

Forced to leap back from a golem's swing, Yuuto lopped off said creature's arm before embedding his blade in its' head, not even waiting for it to explode as he charged forward, slicing another golem in half as he closed the distance.

And yet...

He watched in horror as a dwarf attacked her from behind, slicing her across the back before a golem caught her square in the chest. Another attacked from behind, and she lost her footing.

She seemed to fall in slow motion, her HP dropping lower and lower, until it winked out of existence. Yuuto stretched out a hand, calling her name as she smiled softly, the last words that left her lips unheard before she exploded in a shower of blue-green shards, leaving him all alone in the room...

Yes...all alone...just like all the others...

With a cry of pure rage, fueled by grief and despair and self-loathing, Yuuto utterly decimated the monsters, his sword merely a blur as he slashed over and over and over again, the ones that weren't being carved to pieces backing away in fear.

Turning dull, steel-blue eyes on his prey, Yuuto let none live, working his blade into a dwarf's skull with sick glee before ripping it out and decapitating another, dodging a golem's strike before bisecting it vertically, already cutting the legs off of another one as the first 3 exploded.

Soon, there was only a few more monsters left, the army of dwarves and golems finally exhausted as Yuuto shoved his blade into a golem's head, the creature moaning before exploding like all the others.

In a corner of the room, a lone dwarf cowered in terror, having witnessed the pure, unadulterated carnage that this player had wrought. As those cold, cold blue eyes met his beady dark ones, he couldn't help but whimper as the man strode forward with an eerie calm, the sound of his boots striking the floor echoing in the empty room.

The dwarf scrabbled, trying to sink into the wall as it pushed and flailed its' tiny legs. Reaching the monster, Yuuto grabbed it by its' head, the small creature squealing in terror as it flailed and swung its' pickaxe, embedding it deep into Yuuto's neck.

The dwarf grinned, but the smile was soon wiped clean from its' face as Yuuto calmly lopped off its' arm, the pickaxe falling with it onto the ground.

It screamed in pain, gripping its' stump of an arm as it struggled to escape Yuuto's grip. Wide eyes pleaded with his dull blue, begging him to spare its' life.

Calmly, ever so calmly, with almost no emotion, Yuuto slowly lifted his blade, brought it back point forward, and drove it into the dwarf's throat, the monster gurgling once, twice, before slumping in his grasp, following its' brethren as it exploded in a shower of blue-green shards.

Looking at the hand that had held the dwarf, Yuuto just stared at it for several minutes, before finally sheathing his blade and walking out of the trap room, heading back to town.

Alone.

* * *

Keys fell to the cobblestone ground, as a trembling hand couldn't hold them any longer.

"W-wh...what did you say?"

Yuuto could not face Keita, merely staring at the fallen keys as he repeated himself.

"They're dead. All of them. I let them down. I failed."

Keita stood there, not saying a word...until he finally started laughing.

"G-good one, Yuuto-san. That's...that's a good joke. You really had me going there for...a...second..."

His laughter died in his throat at Yuuto's crestfallen look, and a whine built up in its' place, tears welling over as he gripped himself.

"You...you can't be serious...they...they CAN'T be gone!"

Yuuto said nothing, merely staring at the ground with dull, lifeless eyes.

"You...you said you would protect them while I was gone...you PROMISED ME that they would be okay!"

A look of pain flashed across Yuuto's face, but was gone in an instant.

"I...I TRUSTED YOU TO PROTECT THEM! WHY COULDN'T YOU DO THAT?! WHY WERE **YOU **THE ONLY ONE WHO LIVED?!"

_That_ hurt, but Yuuto remained silent. Then came a question he'd been dreading:

"Y..your level...if my entire team couldn't take them on, how were you able to do so? What is your LEVEL, Yuuto?!"

As much as he wanted to, he could not deny the man's request. "...59."

A sharply inhaled breath was his response, then the explosion came. "FIFTY-NINE?! YOU'RE A FUCKING BEATER, AREN'T YOU?! I **KNEW** IT! THE OTHERS MAY NOT HAVE SUSPECTED, BUT I **KNEW** SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT!" he inhaled deeply, as if to continue with his tirade, then exhaled deeply, as if he was a balloon deflating, his arms sagging to his sides as the very life seemed to leave him.

"You...you lied to us...you're the reason they're all dead..." he spoke, a dull tone to his voice evident to even Yuuto. Walking over to the handrail overlooking the endless sky below, he vaulted himself on top of the rail. "...you're the reason I'm dead, too."

Eyes widening, Yuuto made to grab Keita but was too late, the man already having stepped over the edge. Helplessly, Yuuto watched as the man plunged into the abyss, blue-green shards wafting upwards after he fell a pre-programmed distance, signifying the end of his life in this world, and the end of his life in the real one, too.

Slumping to the cold ground, Yuuto gripped the railing as if it was his lifeline, and for the first time, thought if it would be a good idea to follow Keita. The pain he was feeling was so great, so overwhelming-

NO!

He shook his head, slamming it against the hard marble. This was just the confirmation that he'd always known would come should he leave his lone-dog nature behind. People ALWAYS died when they were around him.

His father.

His mother.

His best friend.

His grandparents.

His partner.

They all died. Every last one of them.

Standing, Yuuto turned and headed back into town, a new hardness in his eyes that hadn't been there before.

Unbeknownst to anyone else, a part of him died that day. A part of him that had little chance of ever coming back.

* * *

It was Christmas Eve, the first Chirstmas Eve since being trapped in SAO. Yuuto sat on a bench looking out at the town square, players milling about the snow-covered streets under the watchful eye of the giant Christmas tree in the center of the plaza.

"Yuuto-kun, are you even listening to me?"

Shaking his head, he nodded. "Sorry, Argo. You were saying?"

She huffed. "Jeez, you space out too much." She cocked her head at him, staring thoughtfully at him even though he wasn't looking at her. "You've been taking quite a few risks with your leveling lately."

"Did you get any new information?"

She sighed. Leave it to Yuuto to dodge any questions about his welfare. She couldn't help but mother him, since he never seemed to do it to himself.

She knew he'd lost his guild a while back. It was front page news on the in-game paper MMO Today. She'd been shocked, then saddened. Being the sole survivor of an entire guild would put a tremendous amount of guilt on said survivor, and she would bet her bottom dollar that Yuuto was swimming in it. Hence, his recent reckless behavior on the front lines.

"Sure, but nothing worth charging for."

"I'll pay you regardless. What do you have?"

She quirked a brow at this. Normally, he'd have made a joke about her being a useless information broker, and they would have engaged in playful banter for a few minutes before getting down to business.

_Now_ she was worried.

"...Yuuto-kun, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. If you don't have anything, I'll be taking my leave."

He made to stand, but she put her hands on his shoulders and made him sit. "I do, I do! Just wait a minute, would ya?"

He sighed, but nodded.

"This event is a first-time event. It wasn't in the beta test, so there's absolutely no way to get information on it. However, the time and place are possibles. The time is just before 12 AM on Christmas Eve. In other words, later on tonight. The place is beneath a certain fir tree. At that time and that place, the event boss, "Nicholas the Renegade" will appear."

She continued, "You know, all the big guilds are looking for it. An item that can bring back the dead. A rare item if I've ever heard of one."

He stood, and she glanced over at him. "You have an idea of where it is." It wasn't a question. She knew that he more than likely knew where it was, just by the clue alone.

"...yeah."

He began to walk away, flipping a coin over his shoulder at her. "Keep the change."

She caught it, looking at the coin and widening her eyes. "100,000 Cor? That's 10 times your usual amount!" He didn't stop. "Oi, you really gonna solo this one?"

She never got a response, and merely looked at his back with sad eyes as she pocketed the money.

* * *

Exiting the portal he'd just entered, Yuuto walked calmly though the snow.

Hearing the sound of someone portal in behind him, he drew his blade and whirled around, the tip mere inches from Klein's neck as he held his hands up. The other members of his guild, Fuurinkazan, all pointed their weapons at him in response to the threat to their leader.

"Oi, it's just me, Yuuto! Guys, put your weapons away! He's a friend!"

Blinking, Yuuto drew his blade away, twirling it once before sheathing it in one quick motion. The others pulled their weapons back, but kept them at the ready.

"You followed me."

It wasn't a question, and Klein knew it. "Yeah, we did." Silence greeted his answer, and he stared at Yuuto's back. "You after the revival item?"

"...yeah."

"Don't risk your life on a stupid rumor, Yuuto." He clapped a hand on his shoulder. "If you die in this game, you die for real. The moment our HP drops to 0, our brains-"

"Shut up, Klein."

Klein cringed, the dull tone in which Yuuto had reprimanded him letting him know his friend was in pain. From the sound of his voice, quite a bit of it.

"...I'm sorry. But still, you shouldn't fight solo. It's crazy! Join us, and no matter who gets the revival item, there's no hard feelings."

Yuuto gripped the hilt of his sword. "If I were to do that, then there would be no point to all of this. I have to do this alone."

The other members of Klein's guild readied their weapons, but Klein gestured for them to lower them. "I'm not about to let you throw you life away like this, Yuuto!"

"Who says I'm throwing it away? I'm stronger than you give me credit for, Klein. Remember that the next time you question my strength."

At that moment, several dozen players teleported into the area, each wearing the trademark armor of the Holy Dragon Alliance.

Yuuto scoffed, his hand dropping from his hilt. "Looks like you were followed as well."

Klein cursed. "Seems about right."

Yuuto made to draw his blade, but Klein caught his arm.

"Klein, what-"

"Just go."

Yuuto's eyes widened. "What about-"

"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine. I'm stronger than you give me credit for, Yuuto. Remember that the next time you question my strength."

Yuuto couldn't help but smile at Klein's quip, the latter's eyes sparkling with mirth as he let go of Yuuto's arm and drew his katana, turning to face the enemy. "Go get that item, Yuuto. We'll buy you plenty of time."

Shaking his head, Yuuto nodded. "Fine. I owe you one, Klein."

Klein laughed. "Damn right you do. Now get going!"

With that, Yuuto turned and entered the nearby portal. Coming out of it, he immediately identified the 'certain fir tree' amidst all the others. It glowed a bright blue, out shining even the stars.

Walking up to it, Yuuto heard the unmistakable sound of jingle bells, drawing his sword as he waited for his foe.

He didn't have to wait long.

Looking up, he noticed twin blue lights streaking across the night sky, and was not disappointed when a massive, hulking monstrosity landed in front of him moments later. Snow flew outward from the creature's landing, Yuuto's narrowed his eyes slightly to keep the snow out, but otherwise didn't move as, clad in a familiar red and white suit, Nicholas the Renegade appeared, yellowing beard and pale skin showing in the blue glow of the fir tree.

Eyes askew, he roared and pulled out a giant one-handed axe, eyes rolling around in their sockets as he roared again.

Gripping his sword tighter, Yuuto began walking towards it.

"...Shut up...shut up...SHUT THE FUCK UUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPP!"

Dodging the first strike, he cut a thin line in Nicholas' coat, followed up with a kick to his midsection as he back-flipped over a retaliatory strike from the boss. Landing, he pushed off and performed a 5-hit combo, forcing the boss to take a step backwards, stunned.

Already, one health bar had dropped off completely, leaving 3 remaining.

The boss roared, swinging its' axe as it pulled out a second one, catching Yuuto off-guard and sending him spiraling into a tree, his health bar paying the price as much as his back was.

Growling, Yuuto rolled away from a strike meant to take his head off, the tree behind him not as fortunate. Split in twain, the fir groaned as it toppled off to the side. Yuuto was already in motion before the tree even hit the ground, sliding under a sweeping blow and rolling away from another one as he kneecapped the boss, causing it to roar in agony as it fell to its' knees.

Pulling no punches, Yuuto broke out his strongest combos, lopping off Nicholas' right arm at the shoulder before slashing it across the face, one of its' eyes exploding in a liquid mess. It roared and backhanded Yuuto with its' remaining hand, Yuuto recovering enough to use a tree as a springboard, propelling him towards Nicholas, his blade charged with his strongest attack.

His sword met Nicholas' axe, and the latter shattered under the strain, chunks of metal cutting across Yuuto's arms, legs, and cheek as he pushed forward and embed his blade in the monster's heart, twisting it before dragging it down and across, spilling its' internal organs before the whole body burst into blue-green shards.

Wiping his face, Yuuto was startled to discover blood on his hand. Checking himself, he found small cuts and bruises on his body, though they were quickly healed with a health vial.

'_What the fuck? This has never happened before. Since when did we BLEED when we were cut?!'_

Aside from that, the pain he was experiencing was new as well. Sure, they got a dull shock of pain whenever they were injured or attacked, but not pain-pain. Pain that felt like he'd been cut in real life, and trust him, he KNEW what it felt like to be cut in real life.

All of those thoughts flew from his mind when the fir tree's glow suddenly vanished. It its' place, a small, ornate-looking blue orb floated in front of the spot where Nicholas the Renegade had died.

Reaching out, he grabbed it and looked at the orb.

'_Could the rumors be true? Is this really the way I can get Sachi back? I...I need to know what she said...'_

Pressing the Appraise button, he opened the description and-

* * *

Panting lightly, Klein watched as the last member of the Holy Dragon Alliance threw his sword at him and fled, a tactic that Klein thought was completely retarded.

Regardless, they were all gone, some of them sporting wounds that would need tending to back at their camp.

Speaking of wounds, Klein held his shoulder and groaned. Stupid mace-wielders. Still, the pain was new and more profound than he was used to, and that had Klein worrying.

Looking around at his fellow guildmates, he noticed various cuts and bruises on them, and assumed that there were a few on him, too. Since when did players bleed? Was this a 'unique function of SAO' too?

His thoughts were interrupted when a teleportation portal opened nearby. Gripping his katana and ignoring his protesting muscles (again, a new feature?) he visibly relaxed when Yuuto, a few cuts on his body, exited with a blue-gold orb clutched in his hand.

Smiling, he called out to him. "Yuuto! How did it...go...?"

If anything, Yuuto looked worse than he had going into the fight, and it wasn't his physical appearance. His eyes...that steel was gone, and in its' place was a dark, lifeless blue that had Klein's skin break out in goosebumps.

"10 seconds."

Klein snapped out of his reverie. "Huh?"

"...it revives a player within 10 seconds of their death. This item."

He held it up in front of Klein. "So much for bringing back the dead, huh?"

Klein said nothing, having nothing to say to that.

Yuuto made to throw it to Klein, to tell him to use it on the next person he saw die, but paused.

Something in the back of his mind was telling him to hang onto the item. Seeing as it was one of the item types that didn't have an expiration date, he could hold it in his inventory for as long as needed.

Still, something in his mind was begging, _pleading_ with him, to hang onto it. Almost as if...he would need it.

With a sigh at that part of his mind, he put the orb, titled, "Divine Stone of Returning Soul" in his inventory.

Turning, he began to walk away, only stopping when a hand grabbed his coat.

Throwing a look over his shoulder, he merely stared at Klein.

Said man couldn't help the tears that flowed from his eyes, seeing his friend so...so...lifeless.

He had to say something.

"Yuuto...just...stay alive. You have to stay alive until the very end! Promise me that!"

Letting his gaze drop away from his, Yuuto shook his coat free of Klein's grasp. "...I can't."

With that, he teleported away, leaving Klein to slump to the ground, tears pockmarking the snow beneath him and his mind wondering if this was the last time he'd see his friend again.

* * *

Having re-entered his hotel room a long time ago, Yuuto merely stared at the desk as he sat in the chair, not moving or thinking. Just...staring.

Every now and then, a stray thought would enter his head, mocking him.

'_Couldn't save her...failed again...gone forever...never know what she said to me...what's the point in all this...there never was a point...why am I even here...should I still be here...what if...what if...what if...what i-'_

A bright glow in the darkened room alerted Yuuto to his inbox. With a careless swipe of his hand, he quirked an eyebrow slightly when he noticed a gift in his inbox.

Eyes widened hugely as he read the name of the sender:

_Sachi_.

With haste he never knew he possessed, he accepted the gift and opened it in a heartbeat.

Inside, a small, diamond-shaped box floated out and into his palm. With baited breath, he pushed the button that would open it.

Instead, a bright glow emitted from the box, and a voice spoke. Her voice.

"_Merry Christmas, Yuuto-kun~._

_By the time you hear this, I will most likely be dead._

_Hm, how to explain it? Well, to tell you the truth, I never really wanted to leave the Town of Beginnings. But, I finally figured out that, even if I kept feeling that way, I would certainly die someday. After all, we're going to die anyway, right? Might as well go do something with the time you still have, right?_

_It's no one's fault anyway. It's my own problem to deal with, so I'll do just that. Ever since you promised me on that day, that you wouldn't let me die and keep me safe, you've continued to do so each night since. Knowing you, you'll probably blame yourself for my death. Even more so, you'll probably blame yourself for causing my death. That's the reason I decided to record this, so I can tell you that it's not your fault._

_Also...how to say this...I know your true strength. It was by accident, of course, but I saw your stat menu one night when you thought I was asleep. It made me wonder why you decided to keep your true strength from us. Why you'd join us when your level was so much higher than ours. In the end, I never did figure it out, but I have a guess:_

_You were tired, so tired, of being alone. You wanted companions, people who you could be around while being yourself. You wanted people who you could share smiles with, good times and bad with, and even the times that you may not have wanted to share right then and there. To be honest, I think you were just lonely and needed a friend._

_But I digress. When I learned how strong you really were, I felt so relieved. So, I want to ask this of you: Even if I die, I want you to keep living, okay? If not for yourself, do it for me. Live to see the end of this world, the end of this hell we call the death game, and see why it was made in the first place. The reason why a weak little girl like me ended up here._

_And the reason I met such a wonderful and kind person like you._

_Since there's still time left on the recording, I'll sing you a song, okay?"_

As Sachi began to hum, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", tears finally began rolling down Yuuto's cheeks, and despite his best efforts, a sob tore itself free from his throat, his hands shaking so much that he put the recording down lest he drop it.

She finished her song, and Yuuto closed his eyes, tears flowing freely as she spoke her last words. "_Goodbye, Yuuto-kun. I'm so glad I got to meet you, even if it was for a short time."_

The next words she spoke fit perfectly with the last words that left her lips before she had died that day: "_**Thank you. Goodbye**."_

With that, the light from the crystal faded, slowly going dark as it clanked to the table.

Yuuto never slept that night.

* * *

_**Chapter 4 done, and I actually came close to crying while writing this one. Sachi's death was sad, and her complete acceptance of it beforehand was the kicker that made my eyes prickle with unshed tears. Writing it was hard, but Sachi's death was a driving force in Kirito's need to clear the game. I figured that it could also serve as an additional push for Yuuto, as well.**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: For the Love of a Pet**

"What? You've got that lizard. You don't need any healing crystals, cause it heals you. _That's_ why I think you should give me your crystals." said a red-haired woman clad in a black, form fitting Chinese dress, a battle blouse on top as she nonchalantly twirled her three-pronged battle pike.

"Well what about you? You never fight out in front, so why would _you_ need them?" came back a small, auburn-haired girl with pigtails, a tiny turquoise dragon on her head. Her outfit consisted of a red and gold shoulder-less top, a black neck wrap, and a white, lightly armored breastplate. Her skirt was red, small but not bordering on immodest, and her white, knee-length socks were complimented by her white shoes.

"Silica-chan, I'm not a child idol like you. Of course I need them." replied the red-haired woman. "Boys won't heal me when they have you to fawn over." Almost as if she was dismissing her voluptuous figure as second-rate compared to the petite girl before her.

One of the men in the party tried to intervene, telling the two to calm down, but Silica, the small dragon tamer, had had enough. "It's fine. I don't need these items. In fact, I don't need this party. There are _plenty_ of other parties that would _love_ to have me join theirs."

And with that, she turned on her heel and strode away, ignoring the cries of protest from the other members of her now ex-party.

* * *

That had been several hours ago, and Silica was already regretting her choice, as she leapt back from another strike, this one aimed at her gut. She'd been wandering the forest for close to 6 hours, and had unintentionally stumbled upon a nesting ground for the gorilla monsters of the Lost Forest.

Her speed being what it was, she had been able to lose all but the most persistent of the pack, the 3 gorillas carrying weapons the size of her entire body and still managing to keep pace with her.

Now she was in a small clearing, performing acrobatics that would make an Olympic gymnast gawk just to keep clear of their huge clubs. Her dragon trilled next to her, and used its' magic to heal her once more, pushing her yellow HP bar back into the green.

Still, the dragon's healing powers weren't doing enough, as every hit from the gorillas would require at least a minute's worth of healing time to recover from, and she didn't have that kind of time.

Reaching into her back pocket, she gasped as she felt nothing in there. With abstract horror, she recalled having given all of her healing crystals to her ex-party members. On top of all this, her distraction cost her big time, her attention not on the enemies she was currently fighting, and she paid the price for this with a club to her midsection, hurling her backwards until she slammed into a tree, her knife thrown from her grasp as she slid down the unforgiving bark.

A direct hit, and one that dropped her HP bar straight into the red. Stunned, she shook her head before frantically looking around for her weapon. A tremor in the ground alerted her to the gorilla that had strode forward, club raised in a final attack that would end her life.

Cringing and holding her arms up, she wasn't prepared for the crack that echoed through the forest. Opening her eyes, she widened them in horror as her dragon was thrown violently to the ground, having intercepted the attack meant for her.

"PINA!" Silica cried, crawling over to her fallen pet. Pina trilled in pain, back arching as spasms shook its' body. Even as she cried out her dragon's name, Pina's HP bar crept lower and lower, till it finally winked out of existence.

Taking the limp body in her arms, she called Pina's name once more, before the dragon exploded into blue-green shards, a single feather floating to the ground where her dragon once lay.

Hearing a trio of growls behind her, Silica looked over her shoulder, tear-blurred eyes making out the forms of the gorillas as one rose its' club to finish what it started.

Without warning, the gorilla stopped, all motion suspended before it exploded into blue-green shards, it's brethren following suit as the clearing was showered with shards.

Peering through the cloud of death, Silica was able to make out the form of a man, clad entirely in black, his blade glowing blue as it powered down from the wielder's attack. Twirling it once, she watched as he sheathed it with practiced ease only a swordsman could have, and not a virtual one, either.

Glancing over towards the feather, the man spoke. "What's that?"

Blinking, tears began running down Silica's face as she scooped up the glowing blue feather. "It's Pina...my partner..."

Eyes widening slightly, it was gone in a second as he replied. "You're a beast tamer, huh?"

He didn't get a response. He sighed softly. "...I'm sorry I wasn't able to save your partner. Had I stumbled upon you even a moment sooner..."

She shook her head. "No, it's my fault. I left my party over a petty dispute, and now Pina's paid the price for my stupid pride." As if remembering her manners, she turned and managed a half-smile. "Thank you so much for saving me."

He nodded, then stooped down next to her. "Does that feather have a name?"

Blinking, she pressed the Appraise button and opened the description. What came back brought more tears to her eyes. "P-pina's Heart..."

The man smiled softly. "That's good." At her questioning look, he patted her head. "This is your pet's heart. As long as its' heart remains intact, your pet can be revived."

Tears immediately stopped, and a smile that could have rivaled the sun lit up her face. "R-REALLY?!"

He nodded. "On the south side of the 47th Floor, there's a field dungeon called, "The Hill of Memories". The flower that blooms at the top of this hill has the power to revive a pet."

Wiping her eyes, Silica grinned. "That's great!" Her smile waned a bit. "Floor 47..."

As if reading her mind, the man spoke. "If you gave me the GP, I'd go there and do it for you, but the pet's owner has to be the one to do it. The flower will not bloom otherwise."

She shook her head at the man's kind offer. "Thank you, but that's not necessary. The information you've given me is more than enough. All I'll have to do is work hard, and someday, when I'm strong enough-"

"3 days."

She stopped, and quirked an eyebrow. "What?"

"...your pet's heart will only last outside of its' body for 3 days. After that, it will die as well, and then you will never be able to revive it."

Her heart felt like it had just dropped into her stomach. His next words made her dread ebb away, though.

"Don't worry. You've got 3 days. One second..." He opened his menu, and suddenly, high-level equipment was filing into her inventory like water from a broken dam.

Her eyes widened with each new piece, until she had an entire new outfit of equipment that was a good 5-6 levels higher than her current equipment.

"Wha...why would you do this for me?"

He paused, then closed his menu. He said nothing for a moment, then, "...think of it as a step on my road of atonement." With that, he turned and began to leave, black coat flapping gently in the wind.

"W-WAIT!"

Her savior stopped. It took her a moment to remember to walk, and she all but ran to catch up to him.

He cocked an eyebrow, but waited until she got close.

"My name is Silica. What's yours?"

"...Yuuto."

She smiled and held out a hand. "Nice to meet you, Yuuto-san."

He hesitated for a moment, then grasped her hand in a firm shake. "Likewise."

She looked at the ground for a moment. "A-ano...would you mind...if I asked you...to come with me?"

Silence enveloped the area for a few moments. His expression betrayed no emotion. She shook her head. "N-nevermind, you've already done more than-"

"No, I wouldn't."

"Huh?"

She blinked as he repeated himself. "No, I wouldn't mind accompanying you on your journey."

She beamed at him, grabbing his arm and hopping up and down gleefully. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!"

Eyes wide, he merely nodded. "Er...you're welcome."

Blushing slightly at acting like a complete schoolgirl in front of this older man, she let go and smiled.

"So, Yuuto-san, where to first?"

* * *

He was absolutely positive he was going to kill the next person that called out to, "Silica-chan".

It wasn't that he was jealous. Far from it. It's just that, after the 20th person called out to his impromptu traveling partner in that annoying-as-hell sing-song voice, asking her for either a date or a party, that it started to wear on his nerves. Already thin as they were.

"My, if it isn't Silica?"

His new partner stopped dead in her tracks and skirted behind him as a voluptuous red-haired woman and 3 men approached them, the woman having spoken.

"You made it out of the forest, huh? How fortunate. I'm so relieved."

As the woman approached, Silica lowered her head and pressed herself against him, causing his eyes to narrow slightly.

"Ara, where'd that lizard go? Don't tell me..."

At the mention of Pina, Silica's head shot up. "I'm going to get her back. Just you wait!"

The woman clicked her tongue. "So, you're going to the Hill of Memories, huh? I wonder how you'll fair at your current level, though."

Yuuto had had enough of this woman's obnoxious taunting. "It won't be an issue. Her level will be of no concern."

As if just noticing him for the first time, the red head hummed to herself. "Oh, well look at you. Mr. Tough Guy, huh? Don't tell me Silica seduced you, too?"

Yuuto snorted. "Hardly."

The woman grinned and sidled up to Yuuto, pressing her right breast against his arm. "Really? Then you prefer older women, perhaps?"

His glare made her take a step back. "As if I would associate with a harlot such as yourself."

Silica couldn't help the snicker that escaped her lips, and the woman fumed as her party members chuckled at her expense. She turned to them with a glare that promised pain, and they clammed up quickly.

Turning back, her grin was once more in place. "Oh, aren't we the cold one? I know of a few ways to warm you up, dear~"

Silica huffed, but Yuuto was undeterred. "None of which I'm interested in. Come, Silica. We need not spend time in the company of such...trash."

As Silica followed Yuuto's lead, the woman was left fuming at his rejection and disdain.

'_Fuck him. He's not that good looking, anyway. Besides, he's probably all talk and no bite. Regardless, I need only bide my time until Silica gets to the Hill of Memories. __**That's**__ when I'll get him back for his words.'_

* * *

Having spent the night in an inn, the two set off for the Hill of Memories the following morning, with 2 days remaining until Pina's Heart faded out of existence.

However, neither were really worried about not making it in time. Yuuto was confident that their current pace would place them at the Hill by mid afternoon, while Silica was positive that, as long as Yuuto was there, she would be seeing her pet dragon sooner than ever.

As the sun fell from its' peak, the two found themselves at the very hill they sought. Upon reaching the top, Silica found a pure white lily waiting, the petals flourishing when she entered its' radius. Picking the flower, she made to revive Pina right there, but Yuuto's hand stayed her action.

"It's best we wait until we're out of here before reviving her. Don't want to have to make a return trip so soon."

Nodding, she pocketed the flower and followed Yuuto back to the bridge that they'd crossed to reach the Hill. All smiles, Silica was startled out of her reverie when Yuuto placed a hand on her shoulder.

Sending a questioning look at him, he didn't even blink when he said, "Those of you who are behind the trees over there. Either come out now or I'll kill you here."

Blinking, she had no idea what he was talking about. That is, until the red-haired woman from yesterday came out from behind one of the trees.

"R-rosalia-san?!"

"Ara, to be able to see through my Hiding skill so easily. Your Detection skill must be quite high, Mr. Swordsman."

"High enough. State your purpose."

Rosalia flipped her hair. "Oh, nothing much. I've just come to congratulate young Silica here on obtaining the rare Pneuma Flower for her pet lizard. That, and to request that she hand it over, of course~"

Silica frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Yuuto took a step forward, pushing Silica back a few steps as he undid several buttons on his coat, letting it fall loosely on his shoulders. "That's not going to happen, Rosalia-san...or should I say, Rosalia, leader of the infamous orange guild, Titan's Hand."

Silica's eyes widened. "Then...you joined my group..."

Rosalia smirked. "Exactly. You were the perfect bait to lure in high-priority targets with lots of money and items. Since you're a _child idol_, it was too easy."

"B-but how?! You're green!"

Yuuto shook his head. "It's a simple trick. Have a green player lure other green players into a secluded spot where orange players are waiting, and the rest is history. The green player remains green, having not actually attacked the other players."

Rosalia chuckled. "Ara, you're smarter than you look, Swordsman-san. And Silica, you were the prey I was most anticipating. It was truly a shame that you left the party when you did. I feared you had been killed in the forests. But then when you showed up alive, looking for the Pneuma Flower, I finally hit the jackpot. Not only would I get you, but also a super-rare item. Two birds with one stone, if you will~"

She turned to Yuuto. "However, you knew all of this, and _still_ went along with her. Are you stupid? Or did she really seduce you?"

Silica growled, but Yuuto merely shook his head. "Like I said, seduction had nothing to do with my being here. Rather, I've actually been looking for you, Rosalia-san. I was most fortunate to find you while I was aiding Silica."

Rosalia pretended to be bashful. "Oh, you were looking for little old me? How daring of you, Swordsman-san. Perhaps you couldn't resist me after all?"

Yuuto cracked a grin. "No, you're still a cheap trick." At her hissed intake of breath from his insult, he continued. "You attacked a guild a week or so ago, one that went by the name, "The Silver Flags". Out of the 5 members of the guild, 4 were killed, all except the leader. Every day, for the past week, he'd come straight to the front lines, begging anyone who would listen to help him."

"You want to know the shocking part of all of this? He wanted you captured, not killed. He wanted them to jail you, so you couldn't harm anyone else like you'd harmed his guild."

She laughed, twirling a lock of her hair as she spoke. "So? What's the point? They had no money, and had wasted my time. Besides, it's not like there's any proof that we die in the real world if we die here. Even so..."

She snapped her fingers, and 7 other men came out from behind the trees, all but one of them orange. "Shouldn't you be more concerned about yourselves?"

Silica gasped. "Yuuto-san, there's too many of them!"

Rosalia grinned. "I'll ask you this one more time: Hand over the flower, and you can go."

Silica turned to him. "We should run! We've got teleport crystals, and-"

A hand gently patted her head, causing her to blink. "It's fine, Silica. Just stand back and keep a teleport crystal ready, just in case. Although, I doubt you'll need it. This will be over shortly."

With a small smile in her direction, he turned and strode forward, putting himself between her and the others as he drew his blade. "Well? You're not getting the flower, so I suppose you'll try to take it by force? Either do something or leave. I haven't the time to waste on dogs like you."

Silica paled. "Yuuto-san! Don't make them angry!"

Several of the men stiffened at the name. "Y-yuuto? _THE_ Yuuto?"

One of them peered at the man as he continued to walk forward. "Black clothes...a one-handed, no shield style. Impossible...'The Black Swordsman'..."

The only other green player turned to Rosalia. "Rosalia-san, this is the beater that _SOLOS_ the front-lines! There's no way we can beat him! He's part of the LEAD GROUP!"

Silica stared at Yuuto's back. "T-the Lead Group?!"

Rosalia scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. Why would an S-Class fighter be down here? Just kill him and take everything he owns!"

Seemingly spurred on by their leader's words, the men readied their weapons before charging, Yuuto not moving an inch as the first blade passed across his chest, leaving a deep red mark that was quickly out-shined by the dozen more marks that crisscrossed his body.

Silica's hand trembled as she watched Yuuto get cut to ribbons, her fingers twitching as she reached for the knife on her waist. '_I...I have to...help Yuuto-san...I...huh?'_ She blinked, watching as Yuuto's HP bar went down a few hundred points, then instantly refilled itself.

After mere seconds of attacks, all 7 men were panting with exhaustion, their backs bowed as they gulped in air.

Rosalia grimaced. "What the HELL are you guys DOING?! Hurry up and KILL him!"

The men looked at one another. Yuuto chose that time to speak. "About 400 points in...10 seconds, give or take. That's the most damage you 7 can do to me. How utterly pathetic."

Rosalia growled. "What?"

Yuuto elaborated. "I'm level 80, HP 15,000. My Battle Healing skill auto-regenerates 1,000 points of health every 10 seconds. Even if you guys could double the amount of damage you deal, you still wouldn't even come close to harming me. We'd literally be here all day, and I still wouldn't fall. _That_ is how weak you all are."

One of the men shouted, "Is that even possible?!"

Yuuto gave him a sharp look. "Of **course** it is! In Level MMO's, those who have the highest numbers are all but invincible. Any MMO that uses a level system is unfair that way. Get used to it."

Sheathing his blade, Yuuto scrolled though his menu bar without looking at the others, a testament to his utter lack of fear against them. Pulling out a large blue crystal, he continued. "My client, the leader of the guild you slaughtered, spent his entire fortune buying this crystal. It's a mass teleportation crystal. It's pre-programmed to send you all straight to jail. This is your first choice. The second...well, I shouldn't have to elaborate on it. Either way, none of you are leaving here as free individuals."

Rosalia scoffed, leveling her pike at him. "Don't make me laugh! I'm green, so if you hurt me, you'll go oran-"

Her words died in her throat as the feeling of cold steel pressing against her windpipe registered in her mind. Scarcely daring to breathe, she let her eyes meet with the cold blue steel of Yuuto's.

"Don't give me that bullshit. You think playing for a few days as orange would scare me? I would rather kill you right here, right now. My client's plea for you to be jailed, not killed, is the only thing keeping me from lopping off your pretty little head. However, if you resist, I will forgo his request and kill you regardless."

Pressing the blade harder against her throat, she whimpered as he continued. "If you think I give a flying fuck about your life, you better rethink that concept. I'm a _solo player._ Status means **NOTHING** to me. Playing as orange, or even red should I decide to kill you, means **NOTHING** to me. So, I'll say this one more time. You have two choices: Go to jail, or die right here on this bridge. Make your choice now, or I'll do it for you."

Sweat ran freely down her face, and Rosalia let her pike fall to the ground with nary a protest, her arms trembling from the fear running though her veins like ice.

Pulling his blade back, he prodded her in the back with it as incentive for her to get moving, and as he herded the group into the center of the bridge, he activated the crystal, sending the entirety of Titan's Hand to the jails.

Turning to Silica, who stood open-mouthed in awe, he gave her a small smile. "Well, shall we go back?"

* * *

_**Chapter 5 all done, and I'm starting to think this may be an Episode-per-Chapter deal, now. At first, I was able to scrape away all the useless stuff, but that's getting less and less easier to do, since more and more plot points are being put in per episode. In the end, I'm banking on this story turning into a 20 chapter deal, and seeing as how my last story was 20 chapters, with almost 150,000 words, that shouldn't be too much of an issue.**_

_**Anywho, hope you enjoy the latest update.**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Reunited Once More**

"With all due respect, Vice-Commander, your idea is stupid."

"What was that?!"

Asuna glared daggers at Yuuto, her teeth grinding when he referred to her title. For some reason, she hated it when he called her by her title. Everyone else did so, but when _he_ did it...it irked her for some reason that was beyond her at the moment.

"Do I need to repeat myself? Your idea, it's stupid."

"And just HOW is it stupid?"

Casually referring to the map on the table before them, he elaborated. "You're talking about using NPC's as scapegoats. Letting the Field Boss kill them while we attack it...you're condoning collateral damage, and I don't approve of it."

Flipping a stray lock of hair over her shoulder, Asuna crossed her arms. "So what? They're NPC's. They'll respawn on their own."

Yuuto slammed a hand on the table, startling Asuna and most of the others present at the strategy meeting. "That's not the point, and you damn well know it! This? This is just a stepping stone. Pretty soon, there won't be any NPC's near the Boss Rooms, so then what? We start bringing lower level players up and use them as decoys to get in critical hits on the bosses? 'So what? They're just weak players. It's not like they mean anything, right?' Bullshit!"

Silence met his outburst, and Asuna's wide eyes met Yuuto's hard blue. "I-"

"You know what? Do whatever the fuck you want. I've wasted enough time here."

At that, he turned, parting the other clearers like the Red Sea as he exited the building, the door slamming shut with a bang.

Silence once more reigned supreme, and pretty soon the meeting was adjourned, the plan Asuna had proposed shot down in flames due to Yuuto's earlier words.

As the rest of the clearers (high-level players that operated on the front lines in hopes of clearing the game as fast as possible) left the building, Egil looked around for a certain person, and upon spying him leaning against the building with his arms folded and eyes closed, rushed over.

"Yo, Yuuto."

Said man didn't even crack an eyelid. "Egil."

The dark man shook his head. His dark green shirt rippled as he folded arms covered with darker green armbands, black pants and black boots completing the ensemble. "Another fight with the Vice-Commander. Why do you two always seem to get into it whenever you're around one another."

"That's none of your concern."

Rubbing his bald head, Egil continued. "It is, actually. If we can't come up with a half-decent strategy to kill this Field Boss, we won't be able to advance. You know that; I know you do."

Finally, one lone blue eye opened and stared at Egil. "I have my reasons. You know that."

Egil shrugged, a grin tugging on his lips. "I think everyone knows the reason behind your rejection of the latest plan. You made it pretty damn clear in there."

Pushing off the wall, Yuuto gave a half-shrug. "I've never been known for my tact, Egil. I'm more opposed to this one because, as I said, it's only a matter of time before we go down a road that there's no coming back from. Sacrifice only breeds more sacrifice. I've seen it too many times to count. It starts off small, and once you've become desensitized to it, you're able to do more...horrible things...with less objection from your moral compass."

Egil sighed, but nodded. "I get where you're coming from, my friend, but the least you could do is offer up an alternate strategy."

Yuuto gave him a look. "I _offered _one the very first day I returned to the front lines and saw this debacle you all call a fight."

Egil rubbed his face. "But we all told you _then_ that you can't fight it alone. It's way too strong-"

Yuuto turned fully to face him. "It's not strong enough to hinder me from killing it and scattering its' parts across the fields of battle, my friend. I'm extending courtesy I don't normally give out, and am letting you guys play warrior group on my watch. That courtesy is running thin, however, and if you guys cannot come up with a strategy that doesn't involve mass slaughter, I'm going to forgo the niceties, slay the beast, and be done with it."

With that, Yuuto turned and made his way towards his new favorite spot on this level, leaving Egil to report the bad news to their vice commander...again.

He wasn't getting paid enough for this.

* * *

She swore the second she got her hands on him, she was going to tear him a new one.

Literally.

Not only did he call her out in a strategy meeting, completely blow her entire plan to shreds, and humiliate her in front of the entire gathering, but he then had the gall to send Egil, whom she'd dubbed his errand boy, to tell her to hurry up and come up with, "a half-decent plan that doesn't involve mass slaughter".

When she found him, she was going to **show** him mass slaughter.

As per the usual, she was able to find him with surprising ease, considering she hadn't had contact with him since his last stay here over a week ago. She pondered that, but chalked it up to her excellent Tracking skill.

He was, of all things, leaning calmly against a tree near a small stone wall that was typical of this village, his sword propped against his thigh as he dozed lightly in the shade of the tree.

She couldn't contain her anger any longer.

"And just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

She was caught off-guard by his completely coherent response, as if he'd been awake and expecting her comment. She quickly composed herself.

"It looks like you're lazing around like a good-for-nothing, that's what."

She couldn't help the smug satisfaction that coursed through her when he cracked an eye open in mild annoyance. As he looked at her, he took in her new appearance.

Ever since she'd joined the Knights of the Blood Oath, one of the top-ranked guilds in all of Aincrad, she'd been required to wear the typical guild outfit. A red and white shoulder-less top with a white breastplate on top of it. She'd retained the use of her armgloves, albeit with red outline. Her white thigh-high leggings were also outlined in red, her white half-cloak following suit as it billowed around her feet which were clad in white shoes. A red skirt, barely modest, peeked out from underneath all the white.

"Your point?"

"All the other clearers are working hard at cleaning out the dungeon. What gives you the right to sit here on your ass and not help?"

_That_ got to him. She couldn't help the smug grin that worked its' way onto her face when he opened his eyes fully, the glare that he sent her way unnerving her just a little. "For your information, _Vice-Commander,_ **I** was the one who mapped out that dungeon. If I want to relax a little, I'm entitled to such."

His usage of her titled ground against her nerves, and she snapped. "What's your PROBLEM?! Why are you so...so...UGH!"

Her arms at her sides, fists clenched, she fumed as he merely stared at her with an impassive look. "Why am I so...?"

"Why are you such an ass?"

Yuuto took a moment to respond, as if he was seriously considering the question. "...I'm not a people-person, Vice-Commander. My skills are much more suited for the battlefield."

"Then why are you not ON the battlefield right NOW?!"

"Because you refuse to let me."

His comment confused her, until she remembered his offer on the first day of his return. "Oh no. Ohohohoho no. You are NOT soloing this Field Boss."

Yuuto huffed in exasperation. "Figures."

She held up her hands in similar frustration. "Why can't you WORK with me instead of AGAINST me?! If we worked together-"

"You'd merely get in my way. If not you, than someone else."

***SLAP***

Yuuto's eyes were wide, as Asuna breathed heavily from putting all of her anger behind that slap.

"What the hell is your problem?! Why won't you let anyone help you?!"

Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned his head back to face her. The anger, as well as the thinly-veiled grief and sorrow that hid behind those eyes, caused her to inwardly gasp and take a step back.

"...Y-yuuto-"

"Don't."

She cringed at his tone, laced with anger and just a hint of hurt. Gripping his sword, he slung it over his shoulder in one smooth motion, years of practice making it second-nature to him. She honestly believed that he'd had training with a sword in the real world before coming here. It was the only explanation.

"You want to know why I won't let anyone help, is that it?"

She blinked, then took another step back when he strode forward, gripping her arms in a vice-like hold. One she honestly believed she couldn't get out of, which was rare for someone of her level.

"You want to know, do you, _Vice Commander_? You want to know my dirty little secret? You want to know so damn badly? Fine. People _**die **_when they're around me, Vice-Commander. Horrible, horrible deaths. Not by my hand, but by the fact that I'm seemingly cursed to spend an eternity alone. Anyone who gets close, anyone who merely stays in my presence for too long, simply **DIES**!"

With that, he let her go, whirled on his heel, and strode away, leaving her wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

'_Does he...does he really believe that? That he's cursed? Does he fear that, by being near people...near me...that he would indirectly cause our deaths?'_

Watching his retreating back, she couldn't help but curl her hands into fists, her stubborn resolve pushing to the forefront.

_'I'll show you, Yuuto. I'll show you that it's okay to be around people...to be around me.'_

* * *

One week later, and Yuuto was about ready to rip his hair out.

The damnable woman would not leave him alone! Every single place he went, she would "coincidentally" end up running into him. Her Tracking skill must be completely mastered if she could track him throughout the whole friggin' city.

Sometimes she would claim it was merely coincidence, and would seemingly leave him be. Of course, despite her increase in skill level, he could still tell she was following him like a lost puppy.

It was both endearing and a bit creepy. Okay, a lot creepy.

Then there were the times she would forgo all pretense and ask to spend time with him, to which he usually replied he had somewhere to be. Her response would be to tag along, regardless of any protests he may issue.

He'd even had to resort to using the men's room as an escape tactic, entering the male-only area only to jump ship via the window and scurry down the alleyway towards hopeful freedom. Yet that would only deter her a few minutes at most, and she would be right back on his heels.

He was polite, a gentleman, but there were limits to everything, including his patience, and it was nearing its' end in short order.

Ducking inside a nearby shop, he put on his best Hiding skill and watched with baited breath.

Sure enough, Asuna appeared mere moments later, curiously looking around as she tried to spot her quarry.

"Can I help you-"

"SHHHHH!"

Literally leaping over a display rack, Yuuto clamped his hand over the person's mouth, dragging her kicking and screaming (albeit muffled) behind a counter as Asuna entered the building, looking slightly peeved as she scoured the shelves.

He turned to his impromptu captive, who had pink hair and was clad in a white blouse underneath a red dress that went to mid-shin in length, several bows adorning it with one big red bow over her breasts. Her brown boots went to mid-shin as well, making the outfit pretty but overall modest.

Yuuto whispered as loudly as he dared. "You HAVE to promise me that you won't make a peep if I take my hand away, okay? I'm not going to hurt you, I swear." When he got a hurried nod, he removed his hand, her mouth curved into a frown and eyes demanding an explanation.

"I'm hiding from someone, mainly because this person keeps following me everywhere I go. Pretty soon, I'm worried the men's room won't be the safe haven it used to be."

The pink-haired proprietress blanched at his explanation. "Um...who is this person, exactly?"

Peering over the counter, Yuuto ducked down quickly when Asuna's gaze swept over the area.

"She's in here right now, so you have to promise me that you won't let her know I'm he-"

"Liz?"

Yuuto bit his lip as Asuna called out to someone, that someone apparently being the person he was hiding with, because she perked up at her name being called. She also recognized the voice.

Fortunately, she had the forethought to whisper a question. "Asuna?"

At his frantic nod, she shook her head. "I'll see what I can do."

With that, to his horror, she stood up and addressed her friend. "Asuna?"

Spinning around, Asuna practically launched herself at the counter, wrapping Liz in a hug. "Liz! Oh, it's so good to see you! Listen, I need your help with something."

The pink-haired girl returned the hug halfheartedly, but her friend didn't seem to notice. "W-what's that?"

Asuna smirked. "I've been following this guy around, and-"

Liz gasped. "Asuna! Why are you doing th-"

Asuna huffed. "Because he has this stupid notion that I'll end up dying if I'm near him. I'm trying to break him of that thought, but he's stubborn. Almost as stubborn as me."

Liz noticed Yuuto practically having a heart attack behind her counter, so she pushed the conversation forward. "So...what do you need my help for, exactly?"

Asuna beamed at this. "I knew I could count on you, Liz! Okay, so here's his picture-"

'_Since when did she take my PICTURE?! Oh God, this is getting worse by the second!'_

"-and his home address-"

'_MY ADDRESS?!'_

"Um, Asuna, I don't really need-"

"-and his favorite hiding spots-"

_'Dear God, what is her problem?!'_

"-and his usual hangouts-"

"ASUNA!"

Said girl blinked as her friend breathed heavily from her sudden outburst. "Yeah?"

Inhaling deeply, Liz sighed. "I'll keep an eye out for him, but you should probably lay off a bit. This is borderline stalking."

'_Borderline? This IS stalking!'_

Asuna waved her hand in dismissal. "Nonsense. If it was stalking, I'd have followed him into the men's room the last time he tried to ditch me. Such an old trick."

Liz laughed nervously at that, glancing at Yuuto behind the counter. Poor man looked as if he'd learned someone had kicked his puppy into oncoming traffic.

Noticing her glance behind the counter, Asuna attempted to peer over it. "What's back there?"

Yuuto's eyes widened, and he did his best to meld with the counter.

Liz panicked, waving her arms wildly. "N-nothing! Nothing's back there! Just some cleaning equipment!"

Asuna narrowed her eyes. "The shelves don't need cleaning. They clean themselves."

Yuuto blanched. '_Ohcrapohcrapohcrapohcrapohcrap-'_

"I meant cleaning equipment for my tools. They need repair and maintenance every now and again, so this is where I keep them."

Eying her friend warily, Asuna reached behind the counter...and pulled out a soot-covered rag. Hissing like it had burned her, Asuna tossed it back behind the counter.

"Okay, I believe you."

Even though said rag landed directly on Yuuto's face, he could have shed tears of joy.

"Like I said, I'll keep an eye out for him, okay?"

Asuna nodded, and hugged her friend once more. "Okay. Take care of yourself, Liz. I'll see you later."

Said girl hugged her back before nodding. "Gotcha. You, too. Don't want you straining yourself."

Asuna smirked. "The only person I'll be straining is Yuuto-kun. See you later."

With that, she turned and _skipped_ out of the building, closing the door behind her and heading down the street.

Liz waited until she was out of sight before she sagged against the counter. Her friend had problems.

"...is she gone?"

Giving a thumbs-up under the counter, Liz smirked when she heard his sigh of relief.

"Looks like Asuna's got it bad for you, huh?"

She was startled when the counter vibrated, a loud curse following as Yuuto climbed out from underneath it, rubbing his head painfully. "That is not the case. She merely wishes to...correct my state of mind, is all."

Liz smirked. "Sounds like she wants to correct you with her-"

"Please don't."

Laughing at her own joke, Liz shook her head. "Well, I would still recommend talking to her about this. It'll only get worse."

"And you know this how?"

"Her and I were friends in the real world before all of this started. She's the only person I know of who doggedly pursues her goals like this. Apparently, you've become one of her 'goals'. Lucky you."

Yuuto frowned, still rubbing his throbbing noggin. "Lucky me, indeed."

Shaking her head, she held out her hand. "My name's Lizbeth, but everyone calls me Liz. You're Yuuto, I presume?"

Nodding, he shook her hand. "Kinda obvious, wasn't it?"

She laughed. "I've never seen Asuna this into a guy before. She's never even given the boys in her class the time of day, let alone stalked them."

Yuuto shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I've done something to peak her interest?"

Liz shrugged. "Beats me. We never talked about boys. It wasn't a subject of interest for her."

Yuuto sighed. "Great. Back to square one."

Nodding, she decided to change topics. "So, while you're here, interested in buying something?"

Blinking, Yuuto looked around, noticing for the first time that he was in a blacksmith shop, also known as a smithy.

Snapping his fingers, Yuuto drew the sword strapped to his back. "Actually, there is something I was wondering."

Nodding, she gaped openly when he placed his sword on the counter, the black blade gleaming under the artificial light. "Would it be possible for you to make a weapon similar in strength and size to this one?"

She could barely keep her fingers from trembling as she opened up the Appraisal bar, gazing lovingly at the weapon as she read the description.

"An Elucidator...this is, hands down, one of _the best_ demonic weapon monster drops you can get in the entire game. You're extremely lucky to have gotten this."

Yuuto shrugged. "I knew that there was a weapon like this in the game, and I doggedly pursued it until I got it. Simple as that. Now, can you make a weapon as good or better than this?"

She hummed in thought. Turning around, she grabbed a sword off the shelf directly behind the counter. "Try this one. It's the best weapon I've ever made."

Gripping the handle, Yuuto immediately disliked it for one very simple reason:

"This blade is very light."

She smiled, thinking it was a compliment. "I know, right? I used very rare lightening material to make it. It's one of the lightest weapons you could possibly have."

"...not good."

"Huh?"

He turned to her, hefting the blade as if it were a toy. "This weapon, while light, will break far too easily. Any blade it clashes against will end up winning so long as it has more weight."

Huffing at his declaration, she flushed with anger. "That's not true at all!"

Reaching out, Yuuto took his own blade and twirled it once, placing it against the table as he brought Liz's blade up to eye-level. "Want me to prove it? I'll make a bet with you: If my blade doesn't break, you have to craft me a blade that's almost as good or as good as the one I currently have. If my blade breaks, I'll buy this one from you at triple the price."

Her eyes widened. She was selling that one for 1,000,000 Cor. If he paid triple the price, she would have enough money to buy a damn house! Smirking, she held out her hand. "I'll take that bet."

Letting his Elucidator balance on the table, he shook her hand with a wry smile. "Don't say I didn't warn you." Gripping the black blade in a firm hold, he hefted Liz's blade high into the air, and brought it down with a resounding clang of steel meeting steel.

A snapping sound was heard, and one of the blades flew wildly into the wall nearby, embedding itself blade-first into the plaster.

Looking at Liz's prized craftsmanship, he dropped the hilt of the now-broken weapon onto the counter, looking sheepishly at her stunned expression. "Yeah...didn't know that was going to happen...my apologies."

Gripping the hilt of her prized possession, she gaped as it flickered before dispersing, shards erupting from her hands.

"Wha-I-you..."

Striding around the counter, she grabbed his shirt in her hand and pulled him to eye level.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?!"

A sweatdrop forming on his head, he chuckled nervously. "Ara, well...I thought nothing was going to happen. I didn't bank on your blade breaking."

"THAT'S BULLCRAP, AND YOU KNOW IT!"

A second sweatdrop joined the first. "Uh...maybe?"

"DON'T MAYBE ME! YOU BELIEVED THAT MY BLADE WOULD BREAK, 'against any other blade so long as it had more weight.' REMEMBER THAT?!"

He laughed nervously. "Ah, so I did. Will wonders never cease?"

Huffing, she let go of his shirt and slapped his chest. "Just so you know, if I had the materials, I could make a dozen blades that would snap yours in half."

"Like the way your prized sword did just a second ago?"

"SHUT UP!"

Yuuto chuckled. "Well, if you could make such a blade, I would love to have one. That is, if you _can_ make it."

Her face turned red, anger taking over completely. "YOU **BROKE** MY BLADE! You have to PAY for that before I'd even CONSIDER-!"

"Ah-ah, we had a bet, remember? You lost that bet, if I'm not mistaken."

Her hands curled into fists, and she resisted the urge to punch something...mainly him.

"FINE, BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO HELP ME THE ENTIRE WAY!"

"Really?"

She nodded, crossing her arms under her bust. "Really! Starting off with getting the metal."

She smirked at his silence, but then, "I'd much rather do it myself. You'd just slow me down."

_NOW_ she was mad. "Don't insult me! Believe it or not, I'm an expert mace-user!"

He held up his hands in a placating manner. "Right, of course." Skirting past her to grab his Elucidator, he sheathed the blade quickly before speaking. "So, where do we get this metal?"

Huffing, she shook her head, calming down before responding. "On Floor 55, near the Western Mountain range, there's supposedly a dragon that eats raw crystals. A rare ore supposedly builds up in its' body as a result, and that's how the metal's made."

Rubbing his chin in thought, Yuuto spoke. "Floor 55, huh? Perhaps I should go-"

She wouldn't have it. "_Furthermore_, the only way to get this metal is to have a master smith in your party." She smirked at his exasperated expression. "So, still want to go alone?"

"...fine, you can come."

She clapped her hands. "It's settled then. I'll grab my gear."

* * *

_**Chapter 6 is done. Woot, staying up late because you can't sleep has its' uses after all.**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Party Up**

Rolling his eyes for the fourth time, Yuuto finally stopped dead in his tracks, turned around, and pointed to Liz. Or rather, her choice in outfit.

"Did you NOT know that this place was going to be, literally, COVERED in ice and snow? I thought you knew all about this place!" he huffed.

What he was pointing to was the fact that, in a climate suited for much...sturdier clothing, she was wearing her blacksmith dress and boots. Her usual attire. Which was definitely not suited for colder climates like this.

Her shivering body was a testament to that, her arms locked securely around herself as her body tried desperately to retain its' own heat.

"D-d-d-don't p-p-patronize me, Y-yuuto!" she managed to get out between chattering teeth.

Heaving a sigh, Yuuto opened his inventory, scrolling though until he found what he was looking for and taking out a heavy wool cloak, all but tossing it at her and shaking his head. "Next time you don't have any warm clothing, let people know beforehand when you plan on trekking through the frozen wastelands, okay?" Never mind the fact that they were currently halfway up the side of a mountain.

Nodding, as well as she could with a full-body shiver, she gratefully grabbed the garment and threw it on, her body instantly feeling much warmer, causing her shivers to abate almost immediately. Sighing, she blushed as he continued to stare at her, waiting for her okay to continue.

"I-I'm fine now. Thank you."

"You're welcome. But please, remember next time okay?"

She nodded, not minding for once at being told what to do. At least it was sensible advice. Wouldn't want to survive the monsters in the game only to die from digital frostbite. On a list of ways to go out, that was not high on it.

As they walked, she couldn't help but stare at his back, the black cloak not able to hide the broad shoulders and wide back of her current object of curiosity.

'_I can't believe I'm out here all alone with a guy...this is most definitely a first for me.'_

Turning, Yuuto quirked an eyebrow at her lack of movement. "What's the matter? We need to get this done before night falls. If you think it's cold _now_, wait until the warmth of the sun is taken away."

Blushing slightly at being caught staring, she huffed and marched forward, passing him briskly as she stomped ahead. "I know that! Jeez!" Shaking his head, he followed the fuming girl, and within minutes, was back in the lead when Liz tired, carving a path through the snow with his long legs intentionally to make it easier on his smaller companion.

They trekked for another hour or so, slogging their way through shin-deep snow to reach their target. By mid afternoon, they had reached the summit, and Yuuto cringed as he heard a loud gasp, followed by a squeal of delight.

"Oh. MY. GOD! This...this is BEAUTIFUL! Yuuto, just LOOK at all these crystals! Why, I could make a thousand swords with these beauties!"

Rushing ahead to check on other pockets of crystals, she nearly fell on her butt when the hood attached to her cloak was grabbed, only just barely maintaining her balance before whirling around, fists clenched in anger. "What are you DOING?! Don't go yanking-"

"Be quiet."

"Why you-"

Clamping a hand over her mouth, Yuuto ignored her protests and pointed with his free hand to the largest crystalline formation directly ahead of them. "That. That...is not a crystal."

She blinked, then widened her eyes in sudden realization as the crystal _moved_.

"Get your teleportation crystal ready."

Blinking again, she realized that he had freed her, hastily digging into her pouch and pulling out the small blue device.

"When the dragon fully shows itself, I want you to hide behind one of these larger crystals. Do not come out for any reason until I say it's okay."

She growled. "What's your problem? I'm no newbie, I can help-"

"**NO!**"

She took a step back, startled by his fierce rebuttal of her assistance. "This dragon's far above your level. Although unlikely, I may have trouble with it myself, and the last thing I need is to have someone to protect on top of that. It'll make this fight that much harder."

Turning, he leveled piercing blue eyes on her, and her heart skipped a beat at the fierce determination to protect her that she found in them. "Now do as I said. Go hide." Almost as an afterthought. "Please."

She nodded, and made to turn when a roar shattered the calm around them, clawed hands attached to blue-grey arms ripping themselves from the crystalline structure, wings following suit as the dragon's head burst from the giant crystal, red eyes gleaming as they stared at the two players.

Giving her a light push, Yuuto nodded to a nearby outcropping of crystals, and she nodded in return as she dashed towards it, turning around just in time to see the dragon burst free from its' crystal prison, its' skin a dull blue-gray. Crooked, spike-like protrusions covered its' body, its' wings a thin, leathery flap of skin longer than Yuuto was tall.

Two whitish horns curved upwards from its' skull, its' mouth filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth as a red-pink tongue shown from within its' gaping maw as it roared again, this time at Yuuto, who merely drew his sword as the area around them was buffeted by strong winds generated by the dragon's beating wings.

Growling, the dragon kept its' mouth agape, a blue spiral of energy coalescing inside before it fired its attack, the blue beam of ice energy shooting straight towards its' intended target.

Gripping her mace, Liz called out for Yuuto to dodge, but he merely lifted his blade and cut directly through it in one stroke, the beam parting like a knife through bread before impacting either side of Yuuto, his black coat swirling around his legs as he took off, dodging smaller blasts as he closed in on the beast.

She stared awestruck at the fight, watching Yuuto deflect or dodge the various ice beams that the dragon shot at him, his black blade gleaming in the dim lighting as he carved a wicked swath across the dragon's belly, causing it to roar in pain before attempting another swipe at his head, one he dodge with practiced ease.

'_So much power...just who IS he?'_

Not satisfied with the damage he was doing, Yuuto decided to up his game a little, going for more vital areas on the dragon. Meeting the dragon in mid-air, he pressed his advantage, its' HP starting to drop sharply as he drew his blade across its' neck, then down its' back across its' spine, cutting deep into the back of one of its' legs and once more slicing across its' belly, all in the span of 5 seconds.

The creature roared in anger and pain, thrusting a clawed hand at his chest with the intent to gouge out his heart. Instead of leaping back, Yuuto leapt forward, skirting the edge of the attack and bringing his sword to bear, the black metal carving wickedly deep into the dragon's thick armor plating, flesh parting with ease as Yuuto cleanly sliced off the dragon's left arm, the beast crying out in agony as said arm exploded into blue-green shards.

Rebounding off a crystal, Yuuto was unprepared for Liz's sudden emergence from her hiding spot, the girl shouting at him to finish it off. The dragon took notice of this newcomer, and subsequently dove towards her, charging its' beam attack as it flew towards its' new target.

"Son of a BITCH!" Yuuto yelled, using the crystal he was pushing off of to give him additional speed as he aimed to cut the dragon off before it reached Liz.

* * *

She was absolutely astounded. Here he was, taking on a Level 68 Ice Dragon with ease, and completely dominating the fight. Though the dragon was easily 10 times as big as he was, its' speed wasn't nearly as great as Yuuto's, who proceeded to almost dance around its' attacks, taking chunks of HP whenever he could, and causing significant damage to the dragon, to the point of skirting one of its' attacks and lopping off an arm.

Firmly believing the fight to be over, she came out from her hiding spot. "Hurry up and finish it off!"

She realized her mistake immediately when the dragon, still with enough health left to keep fighting, zeroed in on her as its' new target. Taking a step back, Liz braced herself with her mace out in front. She paled, however, when it came zooming towards her far too fast for her to react. In the span of seconds, it had closed the considerable distance between them, its' maw agape with a fresh ice beam pointed at her face.

"GET DOWN!"

She felt herself being knocked to the side, and she rolled behind the crystal just seconds before the beam discharged, a slew of dagger-like icicles erupting from the ground where she had just been standing.

Where Yuuto was currently standing.

Gasping in horror, she watched as blood, _blood_, slowly dripped from a gaping wound in his left side, more blood running down the crystal that was embedded in his side as he cursed vehemently and ripped it out, spattering blood across the pure white snow.

Distracted, Yuuto made a crude gurgling noise when the dragon's clawed appendage slammed him into the side of the crystal she was hiding behind, more blood splattering the ground as tears welled up in Liz's eyes.

"YUUTO!"

He was dead. She knew it. And it was all her stupid fault. She _never_ should have disobeyed his order. She should have stayed hidden, she should have let him finish the dragon, she should have-

With a cry of rage, she brought her mace up, determined to either kill the creature or die trying, but stopped when the dragon roared, not out of anger, but of pain, and jerked its' hand back, a gaping wound in its' palm as a thin black blade tore itself from its' hand.

Falling to one knee, Yuuto panted heavily, blood running freely down his forehead and cheek, one of his eyes closed to prevent it from getting in. Wiping his brow, he stood on surprisingly sturdy legs, turning to Liz with a smile as he saw she was alright. He asked regardless. "Are you unhurt, Liz?"

Rage was replaced with sorrow, and tears spilled freely from her eyes as she nodded.

His smile grew. "That's good. Now, just stay there. I have to finish this, or we can't get that ore."

She shook her head. "FORGET THE STUPID ORE! YOU'RE HURT, AND YOU'RE _BLEEDING!_ SINCE WHEN DO PLAYERS BLEED?!"

Wiping his eyes free of blood once more, Yuuto shrugged, wincing as the hole in his side protested. "I don't know. Maybe it's a new feature? Either way, unless I finish this, we'll have come all this way for nothing."

Desperately trying to wipe her eyes, she grimaced at his statement. He was right. If they left now, then he took all this damage for nothing, and with nothing to show for all his effort.

Seeing her realization, he nodded, pulling out a healing vial and downing the contents in a matter of seconds, his wounds healing for the most part as his health shot back up into the green once more. His left side was still injured, but it no longer bled freely, and he wouldn't have to worry about constantly losing health due to it.

Letting the empty vial turn to digital dust, he adjusted his grip on Elucidator and pushed off from the ground, landing on a crystal before shooting off towards the dragon.

Said beast had been doing its' best to heal from its' wounds, believing the swordsman who it fought to be either dead or dying. Thus, it came as quite a shock when said swordsman appeared, a hard kick to its' jaw sending it tumbling to the ground, crystals breaking, shattering, and scattering everywhere as it slid to a stop several yards from its' initial point of impact.

It's roar of agony once more pierced the quiet landscape, as Yuuto unceremoniously cut one of its' wings off, rendering flight impossible as the severed wing joined the dragon's former left arm in digital death.

The dragon turned its' red gaze upon its' assailant, frosty breath hissing from its' maw as it pushed off the ground with its' one remaining arm, legs trembling as it tried to stand.

"You know, I haven't had a fight this...exhilarating since killing Nicholas a while back. I thank you for that. But alas, all good things must come to an end, and so too shall our fight. Right here." Bringing his blade up, Yuuto switched to a reverse grip, the black blade gleaming in the late afternoon light. "Right now."

With that, he charged the dragon, once more skirting the edge of its' ice attack and dragging his blade through its' mouth, slicing the tongue in half as it carved deep into the dragon's neck. The beast gurgled as it struggled to breathe, and Yuuto ripped the blade out before leaping atop the dragon's head, sword point-downward as he simultaneously knelt and plunged the blade into its' skull, the dragon's whole body heaving upward before collapsing onto the ground, stone dead.

Heaving a sigh, Yuuto ripped his sword from the dragon's skull, flicking digital gore off the black blade as he twirled it once before sheathing it. Emerging from behind a nearby crystal, Liz stared at the dead dragon, watching as it glowed a brilliant blue before exploding into shards, a single ingot landing in the snow it had been laying in.

Pulling another health vial from his pocket, Yuuto downed the contents and sighed, all of his wounds disappearing as his health reached its' max. Turning, he eyed the dropped object curiously, before nearly jumping out of his skin at Liz's words. "So, that's the ore?"

Putting a hand over his heart, Yuuto gave her a pitiful look. "Damnit, Liz. You scared the shit out of me."

"Not literally, I hope."

"Hell no!"

Giggling, she strode over and gave him a tight hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Blushing furiously, Yuuto returned the hug with one arm. "Uh...why-"

"This is my thanks for saving my life. If you hadn't intervened, I would be dead right now."

Yuuto nodded against her head. "R-right, of course. You know I would never let you get hurt, right?"

Blushing, she nodded against his chest. "Yeah...I do."

Noticing that she _still _hadn't let him go, Yuuto cleared his throat. "So...umm...about that ore..."

Gasping, she jerked her head up, catching Yuuto square in the chin and sending him sprawling into the snow, a pitiful groan emerging as she picked up the item in question.

Pressing the Appraise button, she scanned the details as Yuuto composed himself. "Let's see...Crystallite Ingot...this is definitely the ore we came for...created in the stomach of the Ice Dragon, yada yada yada, stuff we already know...wait..."

She blinked, letting her thought process take its' course. "If the dragon eats the crystals, and the ingot's forged in its' stomach..."

"It's poop."

She turned to gape at him. He repeated himself. "It's dragon poop. I thought you knew that."

She shook her head vehemently, then slowly turned back to the ore she was currently holding, letting out a shriek as she hurled it away, flailing her hands as if to get rid of imaginary poop stains.

Shaking his head, Yuuto went over and retrieved the item, pocketing it in his inventory as Liz finished her little freak out. "Are you finished?"

Huffing, she blushed profusely at her reaction. "Y-yeah."

Pulling out a teleport crystal, Yuuto wiggled it for emphasis. "Then shouldn't we get going~?"

Blushing deeper, she fumbled around in her cloak for her own crystal, grabbing it and nodding.

With a bright flash, the two were gone from the mountain.

* * *

"So, a one-handed long sword, right?"

Yuuto nodded, and Lizbeth nodded in return. Breathing deeply, she pulled the ore out from the pit of coals she'd stuck it in, the metal whining slightly as it met cooler air.

Setting the metal down as gently as you would a newborn baby, Liz put her tongs down and picked up her mallet, taking another deep breath before striking with precision.

As she continued to strike the metal, her thoughts strayed to the man currently watching her forge.

'_The way I feel...I wasn't imagining it. If I can make a sword I'm proud of...truly proud of...I'll tell him...how I feel.'_

With a resounding clang, she struck the metal for the final time, its' orange hue turning bright red as the game took over, forging a blade out of the metal present. The amount of time the game took to forge the blade was the longest Liz had ever known, a whole 10 seconds passing before the light began to dim. To take that long forging one blade...Liz knew even before looking that this blade was her finest work.

When the light faded, a blade exactly the same color as the ingot it was forged from was revealed. The hilt, the guard, even the blade itself, were all various shades of green. The hilt was dark green, the guard was a mixture of regular green, light green, and turquoise, and the blade itself was a light turquoise. Colored blades like this one were rare, and the level of coloring indicated its' overall power.

This was a strong sword.

Setting her mallet down, Liz opened up the description and read the name. "It's name is Dark Repulsor. It's a blade I've never heard of, and if I'VE never heard of it, then it's most certainly not in the forging directory. This is a unique blade, Yuuto."

Grinning like a kid in a candy store, Yuuto strode over and ran a hand over it reverently. "It's beautiful, Liz. Absolutely beautiful."

She flushed scarlet at his praise. "Go ahead and try it."

Yuuto's grin widened, and he picked up the sword, the weight feeling perfect in his hands as he performed a few maneuvers, spinning it before twirling it in an x-shaped pattern, letting the handle orbit around his hand as he flipped it into a reverse grip and embedded the blade into an imaginary foe.

She held her hands tight against her chest. "Well? How is it?"

He smiled. "Heavy...it's perfect."

She gasped in joy, clapping her hands together. "All right!"

Turning to her, his smile grew. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I would guess that this sword has a soul forged into it."

Her smile turned the gloomy-looking forging area into a sun-filled viewing room. "Thanks. That means a lot to me."

Nodding, he grabbed the sheath that came with the blade, sheathing it in one fluid motion as he put it into his inventory.

"Now, I know I said this was payment for the bet earlier, but I would feel like a thief if I didn't pay you for such fine craftsmanship. How much-"

"It's fine."

He blinked, watching her stare at the floor as she spoke. "I...actually don't need any money for that."

He shrugged. "Okay, so what can I do to repay you?"

She clasped her hands in front of her. "In exchange...in exchange...I want to be your personal smith!"

Yuuto blinked again. "Um...what does that mean, exactly?"

She blushed, toying with the front of her dress as she searched for the right words.

"Liz?"

"WHEN YOU RETURN FROM THE FIELD, STOP BY AND LET ME MAINTAIN YOUR GEAR! JUST ME AND NO ONE ELSE! EVERY DAY, FROM NOW ON!"

Eyes widened in realization, and Yuuto flushed heavily. "Liz...what are you..."

She stared up into his eyes, those deep blue eyes. "Yuuto...I...I-"

***SLAM***

Both of them nearly shot clear out of their shoes as the door to the main floor of the shop flew open, and a certain person came rushing through. "LIZ, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"

Not bothering with the steps, Asuna leapt down and enveloped Liz in a hug.

"A-asuna?"

"I couldn't send you messages or track you on the map. I was so worried that you'd...you'd..."

Liz laughed nervously. "I'm sorry. I got stuck in a dungeon for a bit. But it was nothing, really."

Asuna looked at her with wide eyes. "Dungeon?! Did you go alone?"

She shook her head. "No, I went with-Yuuto, where are you going?"

Eyes widening, Asuna whirled around to spy Yuuto halfway up the stairs, freezing as all eyes were on him.

"Where? Oh, nowhere special. I'll see myself ou-"

"THERE YOU ARE!"

Yuuto let out an undignified scream as Asuna all but pounced on him, latching firmly onto his arm and glaring at him. "I spent all. Friggin'. DAY. ALL DAY looking for you! And you were off doing a dungeon?! Without me?!"

"Asuna, I-"

"No excuses, Yuuto-kun! You and I are spending some quality time together, whether you like it or not!"

As Yuuto protested Asuna's stalker-like obsession with him, Liz's expression fell, and she smiled softly. "I'm glad you found someone."

Both of them stopped fighting to glance in her direction. "Huh?"

Liz put on a huge smile. "I said I'm glad you two are such good friends!"

Yuuto nearly whined. "She's not content with being my friend!"

Asuna huffed. "I'm not content with merely being his friend!"

Both of them blinked at their similar responses, and Yuuto let out a groan as Asuna blushed heavily. His groan turned into hitched breath as she elbowed him hard in the ribs and began to drag him towards the stairs. "Now, like I said, you and I are spending quality time together."

"Damnit woman-"

"No buts! I'll see you later, Liz!"

The auburn haired woman waived to her friend as she bodily dragged Yuuto up the steps, his cries for assistance going unheard as Liz waved back.

When the door closed behind them, Liz's face fell, and a lone tear ran down her cheek.

"...I guess it wasn't meant to be, huh Yuuto-kun?"

* * *

_**Chapter 7 is done, and the next chapter or two will be super fun to write, because we're coming to one of my favorite parts of the anime thus far. Those of you who have seen it have a pretty good idea what I'm talking about, but for those who haven't, I won't spoil the surprise.**_

_**Let's just say that you're going to want to keep your...eyes peeled for the next installment of SAO: ALR.**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: A Party Once More**

_Two years..._

_It's been nearly two years since 10,000 players were trapped in the death game known as Sword Art Online. Already, several thousand players have, through various means, met their ends at the hands of this torturous digital world._

_I'm still soloing the front lines, although the fights are getting a bit tougher with each level that I progress. I'm beginning to think that this game has been made with the sole thought of preventing solo players from reaching the top. My level is 85, and although my power is great, the fact that I'm starting to find creatures with lower levels than mine a small challenge disturbs me more than I care to admit._

_Somewhere out there, Kayaba Akihiko is watching; watching us writhe and squirm in this world that he's created. The question regarding if he feels any empathy for those who have already lost their lives nags at me from time to time, but even if the answer were what I hope for, little will come from such a revelation._

_In the end, we're all just puppets on a string, waiting for the stage master to cut that string and send our lifeless bodies plummeting into the abyss below._

* * *

Yuuto really didn't know how he kept getting dragged into situations like this. As he drew his blade across the lizard's throat, it hissed in agony before exploding into blue-green shards.

"You should really stop killing your enemies so...so brutally, Yuuto-kun."

Twirling his blade once, Yuuto sheathed it with one quick motion, a feat that never ceased to amaze Asuna. "I don't tell you how to finish your opponents, so you shouldn't in kind."

She huffed. "It's just..."

"What? Show the enemy compassion? Give them a quick, painless death? As far as I'm concerned, slitting the throat _IS_ quick and painless. The target rarely lives longer than a minute afterwards, and it's one of the most surefire ways to kill your opponent."

She folded her arms under her chest, a signal that Yuuto knew all too well. "Why do you keep referring to them as targets? You almost sound like-"

"-an assassin? Keep guessing. I told you once before, my personal life is my own." With that, he turned and continued on their designated path, an exasperated Asuna yelling at him to wait up.

Truthfully, it had only been a day or so since this most recent debacle had started.

* * *

He'd been roaming the lower level forests, taking time out of clearing the Level 74 dungeons to admire the greenery, something he rarely did but took great pleasure in when he did.

A shuffling sound off to his right had him alert and ready in milliseconds, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he gazed around for his opponent. Seeing none, he relaxed, his hand coming off the hilt of his sword as he began to move forward.

Another rustling noise had him stop, this time more curious than on-edge. Scanning the area more thoroughly, he spied a sliver of white bobbing between several clumps of foliage near a tree. A lone, scraggly ear looped up over a leaf, neither the tip nor the end visible, and Yuuto held his breath as he shifted slightly, setting his stance and reaching underneath his cloak for two hidden daggers, each about 3 inches wide by 6 inches long, with the blade itself maybe an inch thick.

One in each hand, he took careful aim with the first one, before letting it fly straight into the tree next to the white object. Startled, the white blob leapt upwards, revealing itself to be a rabbit, two ridiculously long ears trailing behind it as it fled.

At least, as it tried to.

Midair, one cannot simply change direction on a whim, and that was exactly what Yuuto was counting on. The rabbit knew this, too, and as Yuuto took aim with the second dagger before letting it fly straight towards the rabbit, its' last conscious thought was that it probably should have zigged left instead of zagging right.

* * *

Egil could not keep his hand from shaking, his finger hovering over a button that would lose him so much money, but would make him even more money. Plus, the turnover rate would be non-existent. EVERYONE would want this item, especially those with a Master-level Cooking skill.

"Th-this is an S-class Item, Yuuto...how in the WORLD did you get a Ragout Rabbit?!"

Yuuto shrugged, leaning on the counter as his friend gawked at the particular item in his inventory. "Honestly, it was completely by chance. I was coming back from my workout in the dungeons, and I happened upon the little guy. I figured it was a regular rabbit, but when I saw its ear hanging over the leaf, I knew it was one of them."

Egil shook his head, trying to compose himself. "But Yuuto, this...this is a _super rare_ item. I've never even_ seen_ Ragout Rabbit Meat, let alone tasted it. Why in the world would you sell it? You and I both know for a fact that you have plenty of money saved up, more than enough to buy any house up to the 50th floor."

Yuuto shrugged. "I would LOVE to eat it, Egil. Lord knows I'm not going to find another one ever, ever again. If I do, the first thing I'd do once I get out of SAO is go play the lottery. But regardless, it comes down to one important thing: Cooking Skill Level. Mine is...well, it's abysmal. I would more than likely burn this meat, and I'm NOT about to do that. How about you, Egil? Know anyone who has a high enough Cooking level?"

Egil nodded at Yuuto's explanation. It made perfect sense, after all. An S-class Item such as this was not to be used unless the chef had completely and unconditionally mastered their Cooking skill. Otherwise, it would be put to waste, and it nearly brought the black man to tears at the mere thought.

"Yo, Egil? Pay attention, man!"

He snapped out of his reverie, and rubbed the back of his bald head. "Hehe, my bad. So, do I know anyone who has that kind of Cooking skill, huh? Let's see..." He rubbed his chin, absentmindedly toying with the small goatee on it as he scoured his memory for someone worthy of such an item.

After a few moments, he shook his head. "I know some good cooks, but none that have completely mastered their Cooking skill. And anything less would be a waste."

Yuuto sighed. "See? Best to sell it and forget I ever had it."

Egil nodded, albeit a bit melancholy. "Yeah, I guess so."

Yuuto sighed again, and neither men noticed the door open and close behind them.

A pat on Yuuto's shoulder alerted him to a new presence. "Hey, Yuuto-kun."

Turning, his eyes widened when he spotted Asuna, one hand in a casual wave as she smiled. He didn't recognize the man behind her, though. Black hair bordering on dark grey, he wore the traditional garb of the Knights of the Blood Oath, complete with a full set of Blood Oath body armor.

This consisted of a breastplate, a stomach plate, shoulder plates, arm plates, arm guards, hand guards, gloves, upper and lower leg plates, shin guards, and armored boots. All of the armor was a light gray bordering on white and outlined with red, save for the gloves which were black and the white cape that was draped over him.

Overall, he looked like he was wearing a medieval knight's garb minus the helmet.

However, Yuuto was more focused on Asuna. Gripping her hand lightly, he said more to himself than anyone else, "I've found my chef." He did so with awe in his voice, believing the game gods to have truly blessed him with impeccable timing.

After being dragged from Liz's store post haste, Asuna had made it her mission to get Yuuto to not only enjoy himself for a change, but to also do it while in her presence. Eventually, she'd conned him into an outdoor picnic with the promise of an afternoon all to himself if he complied.

He had found out then that her cooking was...to put it bluntly, amazing.

Asuna blushed and Egil sweatdropped, while the other man merely grimaced.

"Um...what do you mean by that, Yuuto-kun?"

Yuuto seemed to come to his senses, letting her hand go and clearing his throat. "Erm, nevermind. Rather, what are you doing in a dump like this?"

Egil's protest about the verbal abuse to his shop was unheard, and Asuna smiled. "It's almost time for the next boss. Just wanted to make sure you were alive, is all."

Yuuto deadpanned. "I'm on your friend list. You insisted, remember? You can tell I'm alive if my name hasn't been removed from it."

Asuna waved it off. "T-that's beside the point. I was checking up on you to see how you're doing."

Yuuto sweatdropped. "Asuna...you saw me yesterday. Rather, you followed me all day yesterday."

Blushing heavily Asuna slapped his shoulder. "Don't make me sound like a stalker!"

The other two men watching the conversation unfold merely sweatdropped. Each thought the same thing: '_But you're ACTING like one._'

Regaining her composure, Asuna thought of something. "By the way, what was that about finding a chef?"

Yuuto closed his eyes and shrugged. "Unless you've Mastered your Cooking skill, it's unimportant."

When silence greeted him, Yuuto opened his eyes to see Asuna's chest puffed out in pride, causing him to blush slightly at the mere notion of her pushing her breasts forward.

"Well, it's a good thing I've Mastered it then, huh?"

All thought of a comeback was lost, as Yuuto openly gaped. Egil did, as well.

"Yeah, I maxed it out last week. Pretty cool, huh?"

Yuuto managed to get his mouth to work once more. "T-then, I have a favor to ask of you."

Asuna's mind immediately went straight to the gutter, and she blushed heavily. "But Yuuto-kun, we haven't even had our first date, yet."

Yuuto blushed in return. "That's not what I meant!" Clearing his throat again, he opened his inventory and showed her the item in question. "Look."

Curiously, she opened her menu...and gasped loudly when she saw what he was showing her.

The man behind her strode up to look, as well, and he too gasped when he saw it. "I-impossible...that's..."

"R-ragout Rabbit Meat." Asuna finished, still in shock that Yuuto had managed to get his hands on, quite possibly, the rarest ingredient to any dish ever in SAO.

Yuuto nodded. "I have a proposition for you: Cook it for me, and I'll let you try it."

He suddenly found his cloak lapels fisted, and Asuna's face mere inches from his."

"Half." she said, her eyes brokered no quarrel, lest she forgo cooking the thing altogether.

His mind screamed a no, foaming at the figurative mouth as it told her she was mad.

His lips, however, betrayed the cause. "...Fine. Deal?"

She nodded, and pecked a kiss on his cheek, causing not only him to blush, but her as well.

Behind them, the man clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he fought down rising anger.

As Asuna practically dragged Yuuto out of the shop, Egil called out after them. "Ne, Yuuto, we're buddies, right? Save some for me, please?! Just a taste!"

Yuuto grinned. "Sorry pal, I'll give you an hour long description on its' taste as compensation.

Asuna dragged Yuuto out the door, the other man following as he swiftly shut it behind himself.

Egil dropped his head against the counter and groaned.

* * *

"So, we're cooking it at my place, okay?"

Yuuto blinked, looking down at Asuna as she remained attached to his arm. "What?"

She glared up at him. "What, are you hard of hearing? We're cooking that rabbit meat at my house."

Yuuto chuckled nervously, wondering how to handle this. "Listen, I don't think that's-"

"Asuna-sama! You can't possibly let such a suspicious-looking person into your home!"

Yuuto blinked, turning slightly to regard Asuna's compatriot. "Um-"

Asuna practically burned a hole into her cohort's brain with her glare. "Kuradeel, that'll be all for today. You can leave now."

The man, now identified as Kuradeel, shook his head. "Not until I get your word that you'll bar this...cretin from your home."

Yuuto frowned. "...who you callin' a cretin?"

Asuna mentally restrained herself from striking Kuradeel, and merely replied with, "He may be, as you put it, 'suspicious-looking', but he's a trustworthy ally, and is probably 10 levels higher than you regardless."

Kuradeel's eyes narrowed. "Are you suggesting this boy is stronger than me?"

Yuuto huffed, about to reply when Kuradeel cut him off. "I get it. He's a filthy beater, isn't he? Such trash shouldn't even be in your presence, Asuna-sama."

Yuuto shrugged. "I am. A beater, that is. That trash comment wasn't nice, though."

Kuradeel pointed to him, as if the proof lay in Yuuto's very statement. "See? He even admits it. All those beaters care about is themselves. They wouldn't think twice before backstabbing someone as kind and sweet as you, Asuna-sama. You should dump this degenerate and never look back. Nothing good can come from staying around him."

The people milling around them had stopped to listen to the argument going on in the middle of the street. Asuna's eyes narrowed dangerously at Kuradeel, as the whispered insults hurled at Yuuto's known beater status churned her blood into a raging boil.

Somehow, she managed to keep her temper in check, a feat she would marvel at later. "You have insulted a close friend of mine, Kuradeel. I suggest you go home. Now. Or I could make it an order from a superior officer. Your choice."

With that, she turned and strode past Yuuto, said man blinking as he felt a pull on his cloak and realized he was literally being dragged backwards.

Seeing the argument end, the crowd began to disperse, leaving an incensed Kuradeel standing where the other two had once been, his fists clenched tightly as he watched Asuna drag Yuuto around a corner.

_'Just you wait, you stupid little punk. You'll get yours, and I'll get...Asuna-sama.'_

* * *

Dinner had been an interesting affair, with both individuals tasting a dish that was, literally, legendary amongst SAO's list of fine cuisine.

Yuuto put down his teacup, his plate completely empty and his stomach practically comatose.

"I've been here two years, and this is the first S-class Item I've ever cooked."

Yuuto looked up at Asuna, who was wearing a very placated smile as she patted her stomach.

He nodded in agreement. She smirked. "Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Because you're never getting that kind of food again."

Yuuto smirked in reply, knowing all too well what she meant by that comment. "Likewise. They say that there's only 1 Ragout Rabbit every 2-3 levels of Aincrad, and the system itself randomly generates where they will pop up. I haven't even heard of anyone catching one, let alone cooking and eating one. Most people stumble upon them by accident, like me. Unlike me, however, the rabbit usually sees them and bolts before they get a chance to do anything."

Asuna merely nodded, picking up her teacup and taking a small sip. "Then we're really lucky, aren't we?"

Nodding, Yuuto picked his teacup up again, staring at the contents of his cup and watching the ripples made by his movement. "...feels like we've been here forever, hasn't it?"

Startled by his sudden change of topic, Asuna's eyes fell to her own cup. "...it does."

Yuuto continued. "Sometimes, I'll even forget I'm in a game, that we're fighting to get out of a heinous death trap. And it's not just me. More and more people have stopped coming to the frontlines. Fewer than 500 people are up there now, and the number grows smaller each day."

Asuna sighed. "It feels like...they're just giving up. Accepting the fact that they won't be clearing the game. People are becoming accustomed to this world. It's...depressing."

Not getting a response, she continued. "But I still want to go back. There are plenty of things I've never had the chance to do in the real world. You know?"

Yuuto _did_ know, but chose to keep silent on the more personal aspects of his life. Instead, "You're right. Even if we thought quitting was a good idea, we'd be letting down all the merchants and others who are supporting us and counting on us to clear the game."

Asuna nodded, and the two continued to drink in companionable silence. Yuuto smiled softly, enjoying himself for a change, but was brought out of his reverie by Asuna's voice.

"A-are you sure...you can't be...are you really?"

Yuuto blinked, looking up at a blushing Asuna. She waved her hand in front of herself. "But it's far too soon! We haven't even dated yet!"

Yuuto cocked an eyebrow. "What the heck are you talking about?"

She peeked through a hand covering her eyes. "Wait...you're not proposing to me?"

The tea that Yuuto had just begun to swallow veered sharply off-road, careening onto rough terrain and causing Yuuto to cough violently as he tried to clear his lungs free of the substance.

Watery eyes turned to Asuna as he managed to croak out, "W-what...the hell...?"

Blushing even more, mostly at causing him to choke on his beverage, she flailed her hands wildly. "W-w-well, m-most people attempt to p-propose to me with a certain look, and your face had that look on it, so I...I..."

Yuuto shook his head. "Geez, I nearly choked to death because of a misconception? What a way to go."

She giggled. "Doesn't seem like you're close to any other girls, though, based on your reaction."

Yuuto huffed, and downed the rest of his tea. "I'm a solo player; of course not."

Asuna smiled softly, then frowned. "Yuuto-kun...you don't want to join a guild?"

Yuuto cocked an eyebrow, so she continued. "I know the beta testers don't fit in with the rest of the group, but...ever since we hit Level 70, the monster's attack patterns, defensive structures, and even their gaming algorithms have become more and more...irregular."

Yuuto remained silent, and after a brief pause, she continued. "There are things a solo player can't handle. And you can't always teleport yourself out of danger-"

Yuuto scoffed. "Please, I keep a large safety margin. Besides, most party members are more than likely going to be a hindrance to me rather than an asset."

"Oh?"

A butter knife, simple but effective, was thrust mere inches from his nose, and Yuuto sweatdropped. "I said most players, Asuna, not all of them."

Satisfied with his answer, she pulled it back. "Of course."

Yuuto heaved a sigh as she continued. "Then you should party up with me. It's been forever, after all, since the last time we did."

Yuuto blanched. "I don't think-"

She twirled the butter knife between her fingers. "Besides, black is my lucky color this week."

Yuuto added a second sweatdrop to the first. "Right..."

She giggled. "So?"

Yuuto shook his head. "What about your guild? Your escort?"

She shrugged. "We don't have leveling quotas in our guild, and I can easily ditch my escort."

Yuuto frowned and reached for his teacup, only to realize it was empty. Asuna held the teapot, smirking as he reluctantly slid his cup over so she could refill it.

As Yuuto sipped from his fresh cup, a message popped up in his inbox. Opening it, he was not surprised to see an invite to join Asuna's party. She gave him a smug look.

Yuuto looked at the wall instead. "The front lines are pretty dangerous-"

Again, that damnable butter knife. Again, mere inches from his face. Only THIS time, it was imbued with a sword skill, and the wind from the thrust parted his hair clear from his forehead, locks billowing in the man-made breeze.

As it died down, a third sweatdrop joined its' compatriots, and without a word, Yuuto accepted Asuna's invitation. Grinning, said girl flipped the now-regular butter knife and caught it by the handle, smirking in victory.

* * *

Thus, how he came to be in this dungeon with said girl, going around in circles in search of the boss room that had been most elusive for the dozen or so scouting parties that had been sent out in search of it, all of them coming back empty-handed.

However, that had not been the end to his troubles.

Oh no. It had only gotten worse the next day.

* * *

Waiting outside the portal they had designated as their meeting spot for the day, Yuuto was slumping as he sat on the steps, not caring that he was more than likely in the way of anyone who wanted to use said portal.

There was good news and bad news to this whole situation:

The good news was that he wasn't late. In fact, he was right on time.

The bad news was that "right on time" had been 15 minutes ago, and he was getting a bit impatient at the fact that Asuna had yet to arrive.

'_Could've killed at least 3 Level 70 lizards with the time I've spent waiting.' _he fumed.

He yawned, and perked up when he heard the portal hum with activity.

He turned, a small smile on his face as he finally got down to business.

A familiar figure exited the portal, and he greeted her as such:

"Hey, Asun-OHGODNO-"

***THUD***

…

…

…

Yuuto took a moment to regain his bearings. So far, he remembered a white blur that had managed to resemble Asuna tearing through the portal at breakneck speed.

He remembered said blur recognizing him, and with horror at their impeding collision in her eyes, trying frantically to slow her momentum, attempting to reverse her direction and only succeeding in turning around.

And then he remembered the last thing that graced his vision before everything went black:

Apparently, Asuna's Knights of the Blood Oath outfit wasn't the only thing that was white.

Blushing furiously at this, he tried opening his eyes, and found that he was in pitch black. Not good. He huffed, and some of his breath came back on his face.

It was at this point that Yuuto realized several more things important to his overall situation: he had something on his face, it was moving, and it was making a weird moaning noise.

Putting together what he'd seen before blacking out, with the new information he had just gleaned, Yuuto came to the horrific conclusion that he was about to die.

Horribly.

Painfully.

And by no means quickly.

The only way he could fix this mess is if he played dead. Was it childish? Yes. Was it foolproof? No. Was it virtually his only chance to get out of this intact?

...Pretty much.

And with that, Yuuto closed his eyes, and waited for the inevitable.

He didn't have to wait long.

* * *

Asuna practically dove straight through the portal, by no means a wise decision on her part.

What if there were other people getting ready to use the portal?

What if there were other people coming out of it just barely before her?

What if-why was Yuuto was sitting on the other side of it?

...Oh fuck all kinds of duck.

She desperately tried to reverse her trajectory, and to her horror, only succeeded in turning around. Now she was headed ass-first straight for-

_Please God have mercy on me don't let this-_

"Hey, Asun-OHGODNO-"

***THUD***

…

…

…

For a brief, brief moment, Asuna hoped that she had killed Yuuto. Then she wouldn't have to endure the complete and utter embarrassment of having run headlong into him.

Or in her case, ass-long. She pondered for a moment if that was even a word, but shook her head. Damage control, girl.

Quickly, she looked around for a man clad in black sprawled on the street, but found no such person. Quite a lot of people were staring at her, though, and she could imagine why. Having made such a ruckus, no doubt people thought them strange.

A warm, moist sensation tickled her nether regions, and she shifted slightly while moaning. Blushing heavily, she looked down at the source of her agitation...

...and forgot to breathe properly.

This couldn't be happening. She was still at home, in bed, asleep. This was merely a bad dream, and she would wake up from it and curse her imagination for playing tricks on her.

She was not straddling her boyfriend-hopeful's face in a compromising situation that would make even Heathcliff flush red.

This couldn't possibly get wo-

"Asuna-sama, why are you run-HEATHEN, GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ASUNA-SAMA!"

The odd part about Kuradeel's exclamation was the fact that Yuuto's hands were by his sides, but nevertheless, it drew attention to their particular...predicament.

With a shrill cry, Asuna stood and promptly kicked Yuuto.

Hard.

In the face.

With a grunted cry of pain, Yuuto careened across the ground, skipping like a stone before crashing into a nearby obelisk statue, dust kicked high into the air as a low groan echoed through the air.

Once the dust cleared, Yuuto was propped haphazardly against the side of the statue. Pushing off of said structure, he stood, holding his head as he rubbed the back of it vigorously.

"Son of a bi-"

"ASUNA-SAMA, WAIT!"

Yuuto looked up and found the woman who'd just kicked him clear across the plaza making a beeline for him, circling around until she was directly behind him, and peeked out from behind his cloak.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "What are you-"

"YOU! GET YOUR FILTHY RAPIST HANDS AWAY FROM ASUNA-SAMA!"

Narrowing his eyes, Yuuto turned and gave a heated glare to Kuradeel, who took a step or two back upon seeing such...steel in the other man's gaze. He was not to be deterred, however.

"T-that's right! I said it! Now step away from her!"

Turning to Asuna, who was doing her best to meld with Yuuto, he shook his head. "You shouldn't act this way, Asuna-sama. Now, let's head back to the guild headquarters."

If she had been part-cat, she would have hissed at him. "No! And what the hell were you doing outside my house this morning?!"

Yuuto felt his skin crawl. Talk about hypocrisy. Kuradeel's earlier comment still burned in his brain, and he felt his teeth begin to turn themselves into powder.

Kuradeel shook his head again, as if he were dealing with a disobedient child. "I thought this might happen, so for the past month, part of my mission has been to observe you in Selmburg."

Asuna blanched. "T-that wasn't part of the guild leader's orders-"

Kuradeel snorted. "I am to guard you, Asuna-sama. That includes your home, as well."

"The HELL it does!"

Kuradeel grit his teeth, clearly annoyed now. "Please stop acting like such a spoiled child, Asuna-sama." Striding down the portal's steps, he made his way over to the two, reaching out a hand to grab Asuna. "Now, come back to headquarters with m-AUGH!"

His hand twitched violently, courtesy of the iron-like grip Yuuto had around his wrist.

"I suggest you do not touch her. Unless, of course, you want me to break it."

Kuradeel hissed. "You can't. My strength is far bey-AAAHHH! OKAY, OKAY!"

What unnerved Kuradeel the most was that, despite the arm guards that protected his wrists, he could still feel the vice-like grip Yuuto had on him.

'_He's just maxed out his Hand-to-Hand skill, that's all. His swordsmanship is sub-par at best, no doubt.'_

As Yuuto released his grip on Kuradeel, he stumbled back a few steps, getting his distance from the Black Swordsman. "You caught me off-guard, is all. A low-level player like you can't possibly hope to truly defeat an elite member of the Knights of the Blood Oath."

Yuuto smirked. "Sorry, but I'll be borrowing your Vice-Commander today. We won't need you, sad little puppy, so you can go run on home to your master."

Asuna nearly palmed her face in exasperation. It almost seemed like Yuuto was picking a fight...

She blinked, looking at his curved lips and glinting eyes. He _was_! This was _much_ different from the Yuuto she had forced into accompanying her this morning. Maybe she was making progress with pulling him out of his self-induced shell of solitude?

Kuradeel seethed, both inwardly and outwardly. "If you're so confident about your abilities..."

He threw open his menu, and had issued a challenge within seconds.

Yuuto blinked. He'd never actually dueled anyone before. Figuring it similar to a monster fight, he shrugged and accepted.

Asuna backed away as the duel began, the pre-fight countdown starting as Kuradeel drew his monstrous broadsword, adopting a lanky fighting stance that made Yuuto almost cry.

_THIS_ was what passed for swordsmanship?

"Watch carefully, Asuna-sama. I'll show you that I'm the only one suited to be your protection."

Yuuto rolled his eyes. "She doesn't need protection, jackass."

Asuna's heart leapt at that, her expression practically beaming at his confidence in her fighting abilities.

Until...

"Scratch that, she needs protection from you. You're kinda creepy."

She couldn't help but giggle, which made Kuradeel fume even more. Then, he crossed a line that was better left uncrossed:

"This coming from the man who lead his entire guild to their untimely deaths! You're certainly one to talk to me about ethics, aren't you?!"

…

…

…

Dead silence greeted his exclamation. Whispers that had been going around about the two combatants stopped, the harsh declaration causing some of the crowd to instantly frown, many knowing of what had occurred on that fateful day, with said man unable to stop it.

Asuna's hands had flown to her mouth at Kuradeel's comment, knowing that his old guild was a sore subject. To have it so brutally shoved into his face...

"Is that all?"

Kuradeel blinked, the timer going off and signaling the start of the duel yet neither combatant moving. "What?"

Yuuto didn't bother looking up as he grabbed his sword, the black blade scraping against the scabbard as he drew it. "Is that all? Have you finally said your piece? Are you finished? Because if you are, I'm going to maim you now. At first, I was going to go easy on you, and NOT use my sword."

Now he did look up, and cold sweat ran down Kuradeel's face as steel-blue eyes drilled piercing holes into his black ones. "Now? Oh, now I'm going to enjoy this fight. Too bad for you we picked a normal fight. Now I get to tear you apart to within an inch of your life."

A wicked grin formed on his face, and Kuradeel took a step back, his wrist throbbing in remembrance of the other man's earlier grip on it.

Still grinning, Yuuto twirled his sword casually, the blade humming as it sliced the very air itself.

"Yes...I'm going to enjoy taking you apart...piece...by...piece~"

Now the shaking in his hands had expanded into full-body tremors, and Kuradeel could no longer hold his own sword, the heavy blade clanging to the floor as he stepped backwards, holding his hands out in front of him in a placating gesture. "I-it's alright, w-we don't have to do this-"

The aura emanating from Yuuto was dark, a sickly black that seemed to swallow the very life around it, turning Kuradeel's arrogance into cowardice in one foul swoop. Falling to his knees, Kuradeel contemplated crawling away, but found the tip of a blade in front of his face.

Daring to look up, he paled when he saw the black silhouette of Yuuto standing over him, still casually twirling his sword as he spoke. "What's wrong, little puppy? I thought you wanted to play with the big dogs? What's the matter_, bit off more than you can chew?_"

"I...I..."

"Don't go peeing yourself now." he snarled, raising his blade to deliver the first blow. "Otherwise I'll have to **punish you!**"

"YUUTO-KUN!"

The arm that held his sword halted, and a dull blue eye turned to gaze at Asuna.

"What?" he practically snarled, causing her to take a step back. He was completely different from the kind, caring person she knew. It was as if a cold, harsh, ruthless beast of a man had taken over his body.

"Y-you don't need to continue. Kuradeel's already lost by forgoing his weapon. You win by default."

Indeed, the duel had been over for some time, now. About 15 seconds, to be precise.

Growling, he turned back to Kuradeel, the very hate emanating from his glare earning a whimper from the fallen man. After a few more seconds, whereupon Kuradeel resisted the urge to piss himself, Yuuto slammed his blade back into its' sheath, turning and leaving Kuradeel to his shame, as the man slowly picked himself off the ground and headed back to the portal, a stuttered teleport request to headquarters the only thing that left his mouth.

Asuna put on a smile, and reached out to hug Yuuto, only for his glare to stop her dead in her tracks, her smile leaving as a worried look entered her gaze.

Realizing his mistake, the steel left his eyes as he looked away. "My apologies. I...let myself get carried away."

Before she could protest, he strode past her, his comment wafting on the breeze as his cloak billowed after him. "Come on. Let's head for the dungeons. I need to blow off some steam."

Sighing, she turned and followed after Yuuto.

So much progress, and all it took was Kuradeel's insensitivity and big fucking mouth to utterly destroy it.

She was going to ream him a new one when she got back to headquarters.

* * *

_**Chapter 8 done, and we're just about there.**_

_**What "there" is, however, is still a secret (poorly-kept, but a secret).**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Broken Shell, Broken Mask**

"That...that has to be it, right?" whispered Asuna.

Yuuto nodded, his eyes alight with caution as they approached the huge double doors, ornate carvings depicting disturbing images of death and suffering, faces twisted in various forms of pain and anguish.

"This has got to be it."

Asuna gulped. The 73rd Floor Boss had had an entrance that wasn't nearly this...gruesome. To see such a radical change from one level to the next was...unnerving.

A tap on her shoulder alerted her to Yuuto's concerned gaze. "You alright? If you want, we can go back and report what we've found to The Army, let them handle it."

The Ainclad Liberation Force, the ALF, or more commonly known as The Army, was the largest guild in the entirety of SAO, consisting of a little over 3000 players, almost half of the total number of remaining players in the game. Their main goal had been the same as any other large guild's: to clear the game.

However, their role had changed slightly upon coming to the 25th floor: their main clearing group had gone in without any accurate knowledge of the Floor Boss' stats, and had been completely annihilated.

One of Yuuto's first player encounters had been with their clearing group leader, Kibaou. He had been fed false information regarding the 25th boss, and because of it, despite their eventual victory, nearly 85% of said group had been wiped out, leading to a platoon's worth of losses.

Because of this, several things had occurred:

1) Each and every Floor Boss was to be scouted beforehand, so as to keep the spread of false information to a minimum. A Pyrrhic victory such as what befell Kibaou's forces was not acceptable, not when there was absolutely no possibility of reinforcements to replace fallen soldiers.

2) Kibaou had resigned from his position as The Army's Clearing Group Commander after the debacle, falling back to the ALF's headquarters, the Black Iron Castle of Floor 1. He took up command of troop stations and movements, a position that quote, "couldn't get him into any more trouble".

3) Their role as lead clearing guild had cost them dearly, and as such, the ALF handed over their lead position to the next largest guild, the Knights of the Blood Oath. They still fought on the front lines, but contributed far less of their number than when they had been the lead clearing guild. This, inevitably, hurt the lead group, and dwindled their numbers considerably.

Asuna shook her head, smiling at his obvious concern. "No, I'm fine. I'm glad you care, though."

Flushing slightly, Yuuto averted his gaze and coughed. "Erm, well, how about this: We'll open the door, get a look at the boss, and report back to whomever you think needs the info we're able to gather. Sound good?"

Thinking it over for a moment, she nodded. "Sounds good. Let's do this!"

Both of them pushed on a door, the metal groaning slightly as its' hinges protested their movement, but the double doors slid open regardless.

Pitch black greeted their sight, and Yuuto frowned. "Nothing's here. That's...strange."

He took a step forward before feeling Asuna's hand on his arm."Wait a minute!"

Yuuto turned to her, smiling. "It's okay. I'm not going in too far. Besides, all of this will have been for nothing if we don't at least get a look at it."

"But..."

Suddenly, oil lamps that had been hiding in the dark were lit up, blue flame sprouting from their tops as the room was illuminated.

For the first time since this game had begun, Yuuto gazed upon an enemy he actually doubted he could face alone.

Asuna's gasp echoed in his mind, but he paid it no heed, his eyes fixed doggedly on the creature that stood before him.

The beast before them was, by all means, a minotaur. However, even a minotaur would have trouble competing with this creature, seeing as it was twice the size of the minotaur of myth.

Its' lower body was that of a bull, hooves for feet and knees that bent backwards instead of forwards. From the waist down, its' body was covered in midnight blue fur, darker than the rest of its' body, which for the most part was also blue. A sickly purple tail sprouted from its' tail bone, the tip ending in the head of a cobra, which kept its' mouth agape in a silent hiss.

Yuuto had heard the term, "abs you could grate meat on" once before, and had shaken the concept of such a thing off as fabrication. Looking at the muscles the monster before him possessed, however, brought that term screaming back into his brain. Arms the size of tree trunks, with bulging biceps twice that. Shoulders wide enough to park a sedan comfortably supported a corded neck that looked as if it was made of steel.

It had the head of a ram, two curved horns gleaming gold in the dim light. Unlike a ram, however, its' maw contained rows of razor-sharp teeth, each the length of one of Yuuto's fingers. A wispy Chinese chin beard was its' only facial hair. Midnight blue fur covered its' neck and most of its' head.

But its' most striking feature...were its' small, blood-red eyes, with horizontal slits for pupils.

In its' clawed hand, it held a massive zanbato, easily as long as the creature was tall, a half-moon carved out of the blade near the tip of the weapon on the dull side of the blade.

Yuuto scanned the creature while taking all of this in, and finally, its' name came back:

The Gleam Eyes.

Four incredibly large health bars hovered nearby.

With a growl, The Gleam Eyes hefted its' giant sword into the air, and proceeded to roar a challenge, its maw opening and flashing its sharp, pointed teeth, saliva flying from its mouth. It was at this point Asuna made a break for the door, screaming her lungs out as she fled.

With a loud curse, Yuuto turned tail and bolted after her, the creature unable to follow once they'd crossed the threshold of its' room. The door closed behind them, leaving the creature once more in the dark.

* * *

A good distance away from the boss room, Asuna finally collapsed against a rock, breathing heavily as she took in what she had just seen. It was only after she had gathered her wits did she realize with growing horror that she had left Yuuto all alone in that room with that...that beast.

Panic once more seizing her, she stood and made to go back, but Yuuto rounded the corner and just narrowly avoided running into her, a frown on his face as he finally caught up with her.

"Oh God, Yuuto-kun, I'm so sorry-"

He put a hand on her shoulder and made her sit down. "It's fine. Just take a breather and regain your senses."

She shook her head. "I didn't think. I just saw how incredibly large and powerful it looked and...well, I panicked."

Yuuto nodded. "It does look tough."

She was able to smirk at this. "Oh, the big bad Yuuto-kun is afraid of something? My, how surprising~."

Huffing, Yuuto gave her a pointed look. "If I recall, you were the one who ran screaming from the room the second the boss grunted in your direction."

Blushing furiously, she crossed her arms and huffed. "Well, I guess you don't want the lunch I prepared, then."

All thought of continued conversation was silenced in favor of his stomach, which chose that time to rumble loudly. Asuna snorted in laughter, and Yuuto blushed as he looked away.

"Don't tease me like that..."

She wiped her eyes, her mirth still present as she scrolled through her inventory and brought out a picnic basket, handing him a sandwich with a smile.

Nodding his thanks, he bit into it eagerly, wolfing it down while she watched, a large smile on her face at his obvious approval of her cooking.

When he finished, he sighed in contentment. "Your ability to cook never ceases to amaze me, Asuna."

She beamed. "I'm happy you like it, Yuuto-kun!"

He made to reply, but the sound of a portal opening had him on his feet even before Asuna could turn her head.

Yuuto lowered his hand from his sword once he saw who it was. Klein, along with the rest of his guild, grumbled to themselves about the long day they'd had thus far. Noticing they weren't alone, Klein looked up and grinned like an idiot when he saw Yuuto.

"YUUTO! Damn, man, it's been far too long! Whatcha up to?"

Yuuto merely smirked. "I've been working. Looks like you have, too."

Klein laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I'm getting stronger, all right, and-"

He stopped, for the first time noticing that, unlike his usual run-ins with Yuuto, the Black Swordsman was not alone.

Upon seeing Asuna, he immediately clammed up, his mouth agape as his eyes widened.

Yuuto noticed this, and quickly made introductions. "Ah, I figured you two would know each other from the clearing meetings, but in case you don't, allow me to make the introductions: Klein, this is Asuna, Vice-Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath." He hissed as she stomped on his foot, another reminder from her to refrain from using her title. He was the only one not allowed to call her by her title, because she never wanted him to speak informally to her.

"Asuna, this is Klein, leader of the Fuurinkazan." She bowed slightly to him, and gave him a curious look when he remained rooted to his spot.

Yuuto, too, quirked an eyebrow, waving his hand in front of his normally ecstatic comrade. "Oi, Klein. You in there? Don't tell me you're lagging. Come on, buddy, snap to it."

Without warning, Klein immediately straightened his back, slammed his left hand to his side, and held out his other, bowing stiffly as he stuttered, "N-N-NICE TO MEET YOU! M-MY NAME IS KLEIN, 24, SINGLE, LOOKING FOR A BEAUTIFUL GIRLFR-"

Yuuto promptly kicked him in the balls. Hard. Klein inhaled deeply, let out a tiny whimper, and crumpled to the ground, cradling his family jewels with trembling hands.

Immediately, the other 5 members of his guild cried out his name, and Asuna held a hand to her mouth in shock. Yuuto NEVER displayed aggression towards others when it came to her.

Well, there was that one time with Kuradeel...

'_Maybe he's developed feelings for me after all!_' she inwardly squealed, a chibi version of herself bouncing around inside her head with glee.

Klein, for his part, managed to bounce back surprisingly well from a kick to the groin, and promptly attempted to return the favor, landing flat on his back after Yuuto caught the kick and flipped him.

"OI, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! MEN DON'T KICK OTHER MEN THERE!"

"They do if said man is thinking with his lower brain rather than his upper."

"WHY YOU-"

She couldn't help it. With a snort, Asuna began laughing at the debacle before her, causing all present to turn to her. "Well, as Yuuto-kun said, I'm Asuna. It's nice to meet you, Klein."

Klein was by Yuuto's side in an instant, pulling him into an impromptu two-man huddle.

"Yo, what gives? I thought you were a solo player?"

"W-well..."

"He's partying with me."

Both men turned to spy a smiling Asuna peering over their huddle, hands behind her back.

Klein's intelligent response was as follows: "...huh?"

"He's partying with me. I asked him to party up with me for a few days."

"More like coerced-OWW!"

Yuuto rubbed his backside, while Asuna replaced her foot.

"So yeah, that's how it is."

Klein looked at the situation and smirked. "She's got you whipped, ma-GOD, NOT THE BALLS!"

Klein clutched himself again, Yuuto pulling his fist back as he glared unrepentantly at him.

"Now is neither the time nor the place for-"

The sound of boots striking the ground had all turn to regard a squad of men marching towards them.

As they approached, Klein recognized them. "What's the Army doing here?"

Asuna shrugged, but kept watch. "Beats me. Didn't think they were participating in the level clearing this time around. We'd received reports that they were more focused on training than clearing. Didn't want a repeat of the 25th level debacle."

Yuuto nodded, and watched as the company halted.

The soldier in charge turned to his men. "REST!" he shouted.

As one, all of the soldiers staggered before collapsing, each breathing heavily as they tried to regain their strength, clearly fatigued from their march.

The soldier in charge turned again and strode forward before addressing Yuuto and group. "I am Lieutenant Colonel Corbatz of the Aincrad Liberation Force. To whom am I addressing?"

Yuuto took a step forward before nodding. "Yuuto, solo player."

Corbatz, had his helm allowed it, would have raised an eyebrow at this, but turned to the next person.

Asuna nodded. "Asuna, from the Knights of the Blood Oath."

Klein nodded as well. "Klein, from the guild Fuurinkazan."

Corbatz nodded to each of them before turning to Yuuto, who in his mind was clearly the leader. "Have you ventured any further than this point?"

"We've mapped out the entirety of this level, up to the boss room."

Corbatz again nodded, this time holding out a hand. "I'd like to have that data."

Klein snorted. "I bet you would." When no response was forthcoming, his eyes widened. "Are you serious? Do you KNOW how hard it is to map out an entire area? And you just expect us to give it to you for free?!"

"We divide information and resources equally to all, maintain order, and fight to free all players from this hellish world as soon as possible! THAT is what the Army stands for, and THAT is why you should cooperate fully with us!"

Asuna narrowed her eyes. "Oh really?!"

Klein reached for his katana. "If you want it so badly-"

"It's fine."

All present turned to Yuuto, who was already scrolling through his menu in the process of handing over the information.

"B-but Yuuto-"

"It's alright, Klein. I planned on giving it to them when we got back anyhow. This is actually convenient for me."

"Are you sure?"

Yuuto shrugged, having brought up the data he sought and transferred it to Corbatz, who readily accepted it. "I'm not the type of person who trades or brokers information. Including map data."

Corbatz grunted an approval. "I sincerely appreciate your cooperation. Good day."

Turning, he headed back towards his group, the men still trying to recover from near total exhaustion.

"If you're thinking of fighting the boss, don't bother. In your current condition, you wouldn't last 5 minutes."

Stopping, Corbatz turned slightly to acknowledge him. "That is for me to decide."

Yuuto's eyes narrowed. "We checked the boss room earlier. It's not something you can handle with so few people, especially considering their current state. They look ready to drop if you were to so much as blow on them."

Corbatz grit his teeth. "MY MEN ARE NOT WEAK ENOUGH TO LET SOMETHING AS TRIVIAL AS FATIGUE GET IN THEIR WAY!" Turning to his troops, "STAND!"

With groans all around, his men complied. Turning, Corbatz led his group of travel-weary soldiers down the path Yuuto and Asuna had just come, causing Yuuto to shake his head at the Lieutenant's stubbornness. "Fool."

Klein was inclined to agree. "Asshole's going to get his men killed if he keeps this up."

Asuna tried to put their minds to rest. "I doubt they're going to fight it the first time they see it. They'll be fine."

* * *

Scarcely 5 minutes later, a scream tore its' way through the air, and Yuuto cursed before taking off, dodging a strike from a lizard before cleaving its' head from its' shoulders.

Klein blanched. "You don't think..."

Asuna paled. "Those idiots!" She took off after Yuuto, leaving Klein and his guild to deal with the monsters they'd been fighting mere moments ago.

As Asuna caught up to Yuuto, another scream echoed around them, causing Yuuto to spout more profanity as he sped up, forcing Asuna to do the same.

They reached the doorway to the boss' room, the double doors thrown clear open.

Both screeched to a halt as they reached the threshold. Inside, the room was lit much brighter than when they had first entered it, the torches aglow as a ring of blue fire encircled the combatants.

Yuuto called out as he took a step inside. "Oi, are you guys alright?!"

The scream of another man riveted his eyes to the scene before him.

Several rings of blue fire filled the room, each flickering between low enough to step over and high enough that it became a wall of flame preventing passage, the only exit blocked by the Gleam Eyes boss they'd encountered before.

Members of the Army were scattered across the ground, some heaving in huge gulps of air as they tried to regain their stamina, while others weren't even moving, being guarded by their comrades as they tried to revive the fallen.

Yuuto shouted out to them. "Use your teleport crystals! Do it now!"

One of the soldiers held it up, waving it uselessly. "It's no good! They do nothing!"

The Gleam Eyes took another swing with its' massive weapon, cries of pain echoing through the chamber as the soldiers were hurled around like ragdolls.

Asuna blanched. "An anti-teleportation field?! There's NEVER been one of those in a boss room before!"

Yuuto stood there, remembering the last time he'd encountered one...

The same time he'd lost his entire guild...

When he lost Sachi...

'_Sachi'_

A cry tore him from his thoughts. "We of the Aincrad Liberation Force will NOT suffer the shame of retreat! FIGHT! We must fight on!"

'_Corbatz, you damned fool!'_

Klein came out of nowhere, inhaling deeply at what he saw. "What the HELL were these guys THINKING?!"

"Teleportation crystals don't work."

Klein's eyes widened. "That's impossible!"

"If we rush in, we may be able to open up a path for them, but..."

Klein bit his lip, trying to think of SOME way they could all get out of this alive, and not coming up with anything that didn't involve someone staying behind and playing bait.

The flashbacks were more vivid now, Yuuto's mind running through the deaths of each of his guild mates a thousand times over, seeing their bodies shatter like so much glass and causing his limbs to tremble.

Klein looked at his friend, and was stunned to see Yuuto actually shaking. "Oi..."

'_It's happening again...we're losing them...all of them..._

_Ducker..._

_Tetsuo..._

_Sasamaru..._

_Keita..._

_Sachi...'_

Corbatz, heedless of his soldiers' current state of affairs, shouted out, "MEN! ATTACK!"

Recklessly, all standing members of the Army charged Gleam Eyes.

"STOP!" Yuuto shouted.

Gleam Eyes threw its' head back, opened its' mouth, and shot a stream of pink energy at the attackers, throwing them all backwards onto the ground. Cocking its' blade back, it brought it down in a stabbing motion, slicing two soldiers clean in half, their mouths open in silent screams before they exploded into shards.

Turning around, Gleam Eyes deflected a surprise attack from another soldier, and brought its' zanbato around into a vertical slash, sending the soldier flying skyward, his sword flying clear from his grasp and his shield exploding from receiving critical damage. Soaring clear across the room, the man landed hard against the ground and slid to a stop before Klein, Asuna, and Yuuto.

Rushing forward, Yuuto knelt as he dug in his back pouch for a health vial, trying to ignore the gaping vertical slash wound nearly splitting Corbatz from groin to chest. "Hold on! Just keep it together!"

The man's helm exploded, having also received too much damage, revealing Corbatz' frightened visage, tears forming in his eyes as his health bar shot straight to 0. Even still, blood poured from his mouth as he opened it.

"Th...this can't be happening..."

Before Yuuto could do anything, the man exploded into shards.

Gripping the health vial he'd just pulled out of his pocket, Yuuto pounded his fist into the ground. "Son of a BITCH!"

Asuna held her hands to her mouth. "No..."

Another scream tore them from their reverie, as Gleam Eyes cornered another Army soldier, the boy trembling in fear as the beast raised its' giant blade over its' head, a low growl emanating from it as it prepared the finishing blow.

Asuna shakily reached for her blade, her hand trembling as her mind warred with itself, self-preservation vs. the need to aid a fellow human being. "N-no...I can't..."

As the creature began to bring its' blade down, the boy screamed again, and Asuna snapped.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

Practically tearing her sword from its' sheath, she sped towards the Gleam Eyes as fast as she could.

Yuuto watched her do this with horror, and tearing his own blade out, he sped after her. "ASUNA! GOD DAMN IT!"

Klein stared as the two of them charged forward, then grit his teeth.

"FUCK THIS!" he roared, ripping his katana from its' sheath as he followed the duo into battle.

Asuna leapt high, jabbing her blade into the back of Gleam Eyes 5 times in rapid succession.

Gleam Eyes halted its' attack on the other player and whipped around impossibly fast, bringing its' zanbato around to cleave her in half.

Frantically, Asuna brought her blade to her side, the zanbato meeting her sword and spinning her around in mid-air. Her eyes widened when a large blue fist connected with her torso, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Completely stunned, she looked on in growing dread as the beast brought its' sword back and thrust it forward, the giant steel tip gleaming as it soared towards her chest-

-only for a black blade to stop it dead in its' tracks, a loud grunt tearing itself from Yuuto's lips as he blocked the 1-ton hunk of metal, bracing his sword with both of his hands as his legs trembled from the exertion.

Wide-eyed, she stared at her savior until he yelled, "MOVE! NOW!"

Nodding, she leapt back as he finally let the blade past him, the tip piercing the ground where she had previously sat.

Meanwhile, Klein and the rest of Fuurinkazan, who had just arrived, began the arduous and time-consuming task of dragging the fallen soldiers of the Army off the battlefield.

Seeing its' prey escaping, Gleam Eyes turned and prepped another beam of energy...only for it to fire wildly into the air as Yuuto slashed its' back, carving a deep gash into it as he bought time for them to escape.

Thoroughly incensed, Gleam Eyes turned its' wrath on Yuuto, the Black Swordsman barely able to block the strikes that seemed to speed up with each subsequent attack.

_'How is something this huge so fucking fast?!'_

One of the beast's attacks slipped past his guard, and a deep red gash appeared on his chest, spouting blood across the floor, joining the blood of the Army soldiers before it. Hissing in pain, Yuuto barely skirted another blow, this one leaving a small gash on his left arm, adding more blood to the once-pristine floor.

Spinning around, Yuuto deflected another shot, this one aimed for his spine, and ducked another one meant to take his head from his shoulders. '_He's far too fast...if I don't speed up soon..._'

Blocking another overhead swing, Yuuto's knees trembled as he withstood the overbearing weight of both the weapon and the creature behind it. Gleam Eyes opened its' mouth and roared at him, applying more force as it sought to break his guard and split him in half.

Klein looked up from dragging another soldier from the battlefield to see Yuuto's current predicament.

"YUUTO!"

Asuna heard Klein's yell, and turned to see Yuuto's arms trembling fiercely as he struggled to hold Gleam Eyes at bay, sweat running down his face as he grit his teeth and pushed back.

"YUUTO-KUN!"

With a cry, Yuuto pulled back slightly before shoving Gleam Eyes away, diving to his left as it swung again, the ground where he'd been standing erupting in a shower of bloody rock and dust.

Rolling to a stop, Yuuto panted heavily. His stamina was great, but against the brute strength of the Gleam Eyes, whose entire stat base was apparently built behind strength and speed with no regard for defense, it made his more rounded skill set grimace every time he blocked a blow meant to cut him in half.

'_Am I really going to have to use 'THAT'...?'_

Looking at Klein and Asuna, both whom were staring at him in worry, his decision was made once he saw the Gleam Eyes take another swipe at the remaining Army soldiers, each of their health bars dangerously close to 0.

The flashback of Sachi's last words to him cemented his mind, and made it all the easier to act _now-_

Caught off-guard, Yuuto barely deflected another strike, sparks flying as the blades ground against one another.

'_I don't have TIME to consider another option!'_

"KLEIN! ASUNA! HOLD IT OFF FOR JUST 10 SECONDS!"

Leaping away from another strike, Yuuto heard them acknowledge even as he opened his menu, scrolling down rapidly.

As he did so, he looked up quickly, spotting Klein engage Gleam Eyes, blocking two strikes before a third hurled him off to the side. Asuna took his place, blocking another strike before expertly dodging a strike meant to pierce her heart.

His own heart thudding in his chest, Yuuto finally found what he was looking for. Hammering his finger on the button as hard as he could, he cried out. "I'M DONE! SWITCH NOW!"

Using her blade to knock Gleam Eyes' zanbato upwards, Asuna leapt out of the way as Yuuto charged. Regaining its' balance, Gleam Eyes brought its' blade down again. Yuuto deflected it to the side with a roar...

...And Gleam Eyes squealed in pain, its' head thrown back forcefully under the power of the attack it had just taken. Klein and Asuna stood shell-shocked as Yuuto brandished not only his Elucidator...but his Dark Repulsor as well.

For the first time in the game's history, someone was dual-wielding. Not just anyone, though.

Yuuto, the infamous Black Swordsman, was dual-wielding.

For the first time since he'd entered the death trap known as SAO, Yuuto utilized both his game-given skills, and the skills he'd honed over years of training. He'd only ever used one or the other. This time, however, he let them meld and become one. A series of attacks came to mind, and a name to call them.

It was on his lips before he even recognized it.

"Starburst...STREAM!"

Recovering from the blow, Gleam Eyes brought its' blade down again, only this time, two blades blocked its' own, Elucidator and Dark Repulsor crossed over Yuuto's head as he effortlessly blocked the attack.

Pushing off the ground, Yuuto thrust his blades up, knocking the zanbato aside and providing a clear field of fire for his first move.

Cutting clear across Gleam Eyes' midsection, Yuuto wove a flurry of slashes, jabs, and combos that made those watching gape in awe. A cross slash followed by a double spinning slash, leading into a second double spinning slash, followed by an upper cross slash, sliding into a split slash meant to disembowel. Blood poured freely from Gleam Eyes' wounds, and it squealed in agony before punching Yuuto square in the face.

Stunned, a slash across his chest staggered him, blood spouting from the wound as he regained his balance and leapt right back into the fray, all forms of defense forgone in place of all-out attacks.

Klein gaped in complete and utter astonishment. "What...the hell is that skill?"

Asuna had no words to say, watching Yuuto carve into the Gleam Eyes with a fury she'd never seen before.

'_Yuuto-kun...you've gotten so much stronger, and I've only just begun to realize that. I think everyone else has, too.'_

A star-shaped slash carved another set of gashes into Gleam Eyes' now profusely bleeding chest, and it roared as it slashed its' zanbato across Yuuto's back. Gritting his teeth, Yuuto pushed even harder, and soon all pretense of combos was forgotten by the two combatants, each swinging their weapons as hard and as fast as they could, both of them a mere blur as the air sung with screaming metal and blood flew in copious amounts, splattering all over the floor as they just tore into one another.

Another punch to his midsection, and this time Yuuto spat out blood, his swords slipping from his grip. Catching them with the opposite hands, he used a reverse-grip to drive them into his foe, Gleam Eyes caught off-guard by the surprise attack. Ripping the blades from its' flesh, blood flew from them as he sliced deeper into its' abdomen, spinning around before pulling another cross-slash, followed by a sweeping upwards stroke with one blade while the other performed a downwards slash.

After his blades left the Gleam Eyes' flesh, it saw an opportunity and grabbed Dark Repulsor, ignoring the way it bit into the flesh of its' hand. It had its' opponent, and wasn't about to let go.

Klein yelled at him to let go of the sword, and Asuna cried out his name, but both voices fell on deaf ears as Yuuto saw Gleam Eyes bring its' zanbato back in preparation for the killing blow.

Fine, if it wanted to finish this fight, he was going to finish it _**NOW**_!

With a roar, Gleam Eyes brought its' zanbato down, the tip headed straight for his heart.

With a roar, Yuuto brought Elucidator forward, the tip headed straight for its' heart.

Both combatants thrust forward with all their might, and everything stopped.

No one dared move, everyone held their breath, and waited.

Then...

What appeared to be a waterfall of blood poured to the floor, while a shot of blood flew into the air.

Within seconds, Gleam Eyes exploded into an enormous cloud of blue-green shards, leaving Yuuto standing alone in the pool of blood it had let from its' chest, the blood dissipating even as Yuuto remained stock-still.

Eyes half-open, Yuuto brought his arms down from where they'd been and spoke in a whisper.

"Is...it dead? Did I...kill it?"

As if to answer his question, a **[-CONGRATULATIONS-]** symbol appeared in the air, signifying the defeat of the 74th Floor Boss, The Gleam Eyes.

Silence was thick in the air, before it shattered as cheers and roars of success echoed through the chamber, mostly from the members of Fuurinkazan.

Asuna's smile was huge as she congratulated the various people who came up to her on a hard-fought battle. Turning, she was about to call out to Yuuto when her gaze fell upon him.

He was just standing there.

The cheers and applause died down, as everyone turned to look at the person who'd single-handedly killed the Gleam Eyes and saved their lives.

Asuna took a step forward, reaching a hand out to him even though he was too far away to touch. "Yuuto-kun...?"

* * *

Panting heavily, Yuuto couldn't get his vision to stop blurring, doubling, or even tripling. His entire body felt like lead, and the gaping gash on the top of his shoulder from the Gleam Eyes' final attack burned more fiercely than any of his dozen other wounds.

Which were bleeding, he might add.

He dimly recognized he was losing blood at an alarming rate, but couldn't bring himself to muster the strength to care.

He was tired.

He was so, so tired.

Raising his head a little, he dimly heard the cheers and shouts of various soldiers and guild members and smirked softly to himself.

At least he'd saved them. That was the most important thing.

One step closer to his redemption. Maybe the guilt would lessen a bit.

Looking up at his health bar, he wasn't too surprised to see how low it was:

**Level 86** (He absently recognized he'd leveled up from soloing a boss. Big surprise.)

**HP: 50/16,550**.

He let a chuckle escape his lips as he watched it drop to 45, then 40.

'_Well fuck, looks like I'm bleeding to death...too bad. And here I thought I was going to...clear the...game...'_

He couldn't feel his hands anymore, and dimly heard his blades slip from his grasp and drop to the floor, a loud clanging noise echoing through the chamber. He thought he heard a shout, but everything seemed so far away...was it getting dark in here? Why was it getting...so dark...?

His legs finally buckled, and he fell backwards, his world in slow-motion as he struck the ground with a thud.

His last conscious thought was that the orange flames from the lamps looked a lot less pretty than the blue ones from earlier.

* * *

_**Chapter 9 done, and I just noticed this: The Kirito vs. Gleam Eyes fight occurs in Episode 9.**_

_**Chapter 9.**_

_**Episode 9.**_

_**The best part is the utter lack of intent on my part for this to happen.**_

_**COINCIDENCE?! Actually, yeah. It is. But it's an AWESOME COINCIDENCE!**_

_**Anywho, chappy's up, and stuff. FUCKING GLEAM EYES, MAN!**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Duel of the Ages**

Asuna took another step forward when he didn't respond, the worry in her heart increasing with each passing second.

He was just standing there. _Why was he just __**standing**__ there?_

"Yuuto-kun, are you alr-" was as far as she got, for the swords in Yuuto's hands fell to the ground, cutting her off with a clang of metal against the floor.

_Now_ she started walking towards him at a brisk pace, concern clearly etched into her features...before she set off at a dead sprint, as she watched Yuuto's legs finally give out beneath him, causing him to fall limply to the ground with a sickening thud.

"Yuuto-kun! YUUTO-KUN!"

Klein paled, before running after Asuna. "OI, IS HE OKAY?! YUUTO!"

The rest of Fuurinkazan followed, all 6 gathering around Yuuto as Asuna picked his limp body up in her arms, eyes wide with panic. He was covered in about a dozen or so wounds, ranging from mild inconveniences to serious injuries, the large gash on his shoulder still bleeding freely. She pressed her hands to the wound, pressing down hard as she sought to stop the bleeding.

Looking to her party board, she noticed Yuuto's HP was still dropping.

25...20...15.

He was bleeding out.

She pulled a hand away, and it came away covered in his blood. Tears that had been threatening to spill over poured freely at this, and she dug in her pocket for a Health Crystal, snatching the small object and crying, "HEAL!"

Yuuto's health stopped dropping. It held steady at 15, then began to climb rapidly, the wounds on his body healing as his health continued to increase. Once his health reached 75%, most of the wounds on his body had been healed, save for the lone tear in his left shoulder, which looked as if a chunk had been carved directly out of it.

With a start, she realized that the Gleam Eyes' last attack _had_ connected, and had caused this horrible injury. With the realization that she very easily could have lost Yuuto a few moments ago came the realization that if he died...she didn't know what she would do.

* * *

It felt like he was being pulled, slowly, from a pit of black sludge, everything steadily getting lighter and brighter. Truthfully, the darkness hadn't bothered him. Rather, it had seemed...welcoming, almost as if it was waiting especially for him. It had enveloped him, wrapping him in a cowl of black darker than his Coat of Midnight.

And for once, Yuuto felt at peace.

No warring with his subconscious mind, no dealing with tremendous feelings of guilt and self-loathing. No knowledge that, before he'd come to SAO, he'd been just like Kayaba Akihiko. Playing god with people's lives, choosing who he let live and who he killed on his missions.

No realization that he'd been nothing more than a serial killer on a payrole.

So it came as a mild irritation when he felt himself leaving that darkness. Part of him wanted to stay, to bask in the soothing calm and serenity that came with not having to think. But the other part of him...

The other part needed to go back.

Go back to where, he wasn't certain. Where _was_ he, now that he thought about it? Was he dead? Was he in Hell? Because this certainly looked nothing like Heaven. Not that he knew what Heaven looked like, but he was of the firm belief that it didn't look like an all-black spectral void of nothingness.

Maybe he was in limbo? He'd heard about near-death experiences, and that sometimes souls were put into limbo, until their body decided whether or not to quit living.

Regardless, he felt that draw again, only this time, it was dragging him from the darkness, his surroundings getting brighter and brighter-

* * *

It felt like an eternity before he managed to crack an eye open, then both, before wincing at the aching, throbbing mass that was his entire body.

He groaned, and heard a gasp before pain shot through his body once more.

"YUUTO-KUN!"

"A-asuna...?" he croaked, and a wash of auburn hair covered his face as if to answer his question.

"Yo, Yuuto, you okay man? Thought we lost you there for a second."

"K-klein?"

"Who else, dumbass?"

Yuuto frowned, before looking around. "How...how long was I out?"

Asuna muffled a reply against his chest. "About a minute...I thought...I thought..." she began to sob softly, and he managed to wrap an arm around her, letting her cry against him as he propped himself up on one arm, looking around once more.

He was surrounded by everyone, both Army and Fuurinkazan making a half-circle around him. He let his gaze land on Asuna, who was latched firmly onto his midsection as if he would disappear should she let him go.

"Corbatz and two others died."

His eyes widened, then narrowed, hand clenching into a fist against Asuna's back, and she stiffened before sobbing once more, now lamenting the loss of three more people to the death game. He sighed, and let his fist unclench itself as he smoothed his hand over her back.

"We haven't lost a man since the 67th Floor Boss...damnit."

Klein nodded solemnly, before he grit his teeth. "How can you even call this a fight?" Turning to the Army, he growled. "Bloody retards. What good are you to ANYONE if you're dead?!"

Some had the decency to look ashamed, while others were openly crying at the loss of their comrades and their commander. The rest just hung their heads in sadness and shame.

Klein shook his head, before smiling. "But seriously, what the HELL was that skill, Yuuto?"

Yuuto sighed. "Do I _have_ to tell you?"

Klein smirked. "Damn right you do. I've never seen anything like it. Dual-wielding? For real?"

Yuuto huffed. "Fine...it's an Extra Skill. Dual Blades."

Klein immediately opened up his Skill List, as well as the entire list of skill sets for SAO. Scrolling through them, he frowned. "I don't have it, and the database doesn't even _list_ it. A Unique Skill, huh?"

Unique Skills were a select few skills that were given to certain players once they met certain criteria that no one else had achieved. No one knew how many Unique Skills there were, nor how to obtain them. They seemed to randomly pop up at any given time, and the person who was fortunate enough to obtain one was a force to be reckoned with.

Yuuto shrugged. "I'm not sure. It just showed up in my Skill List one day about 6 months ago."

Klein chuckled. "You're so anti-social, Yuuto. Why would you keep quiet about such an awesome skill?"

Yuuto gave him a deadpanned look. "If anyone found out I had this ability...I think it's pretty obvious, Klein."

Klein rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Heh, you're right. Online gamers are an envious bunch, and even though I myself am a virtuous person, even I would be jealous of something like that. I see your point."

Yuuto snorted at the 'virtuous' comment. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Several chuckles came from his guildmates, and Klein gaped, a mock-hurt expression on his face. "For shame, Yuuto! And I thought we were friends!"

"You may have, but I never said that."

Klein laughed. "Still as rude as ever. Good to have you back, man."

Yuuto shook his head. Klein finished laughing and got down to business. "So, going to activate the next portal?"

Yuuto again shook his head, this time as a response. "No, I'm far too weak right now. You guys go ahead. We'll catch up later."

Klein nodded, and both the Army soldiers and the Fuurinkazan members walked over to the portal, where one of them activated it before heading through it as a group.

Klein made to follow them, but stopped.

"...Yuuto."

"Hm?"

He looked at the ground. "Er...how to say this...when you jumped in to help those Army guys..."

Yuuto cocked an eyebrow. "What about it?"

Klein sighed, then wiped an eye clean. "I was...happy, ya know? You showed that you actually cared about the rest of us. It made me feel like you really were my friend, ya know?"

"Klein..."

He grinned. "Anywho, see you around, you one-man wrecking crew!"

Yuuto chuckled. As Klein entered the portal, Yuuto noticed that Asuna still hadn't let go of him.

Sitting up fully, he wrapped a second arm around her and jostled her slightly. "Hey, we should be getting ba-"

"I was so scared."

Yuuto shut up, his eyes widening slightly as she encircled him even more, pressing herself tightly against him. "I kept thinking to myself, 'What will I do if you died?' Even now...I don't have an answer. I don't know...I just don't know!"

He could feel more tears soak into his already damp coat, and he hugged her back. "What are you talking about? You were the one who jumped in first, remember? I just-"

"I'm going to take a break from the guild."

Again, Yuuto clamped his mouth shut, surprise clear on his face. "What?"

"Did you forget? I said I would party with you for a while. Well...I want to for a little while longer..."

Eyes widening, Yuuto thought back to all the time Asuna spent trying to get his attention. Trying to get him to spend time with her. Pestering him. Following him.

Stalking him.

And yet, for some reason, a warmth spread across his cheeks, as well as his heart.

It felt...nice...to be wanted.

In an act that was uncharacteristic for him, he laid his chin on her head, causing her to stiffen in surprise, before she nuzzled against his chest once more.

"All right. For a while longer..."

* * *

It was several days later, and Yuuto was getting stir-crazy.

Not only that, but he was going to kill whoever blabbed about his Unique Skill _with_ said skill.

He'd barely gotten back to his place, Asuna still firmly attached to his arm, when he'd been confronted by at least a dozen swordsmen and swordswomen, each eager for him to 'teach them' how to unlock the Dual Blades sword skill.

He'd fielded about 20 questions before realizing it was pointless and, picking up Asuna bridal-style against her half-hearted protests, set off at a dead sprint, using his expertise as a mercenary to effortlessly lose his pursuers down several hairpin turns and quick ducks into alleyways.

Only to run across a dozen more after he finally lost the first ones.

Thus, he'd spent the better part of the day carrying Asuna around like a sack of groceries as he employed every trick in his book to desert the growing mob of rabid fans that he'd unwillingly attracted. A few were there to see, "Asuna-sama!" but the rest were there to get not only a glimpse of the man who possessed a Unique Skill, but to hopefully get him to teach it to them, too.

He'd also had a few women paw at him, some a bit too close to his neither regions for comfort. Luckily Asuna hadn't noticed in all the mayhem, otherwise he was certain she'd have been playing orange for a few days.

And by that, he meant she'd take out her rapier and...he shuddered, not daring to go further on that train of thought.

By the time he took refuge in Egil's shop on the second floor, where the black man's bedroom was located, the town was abuzz with news.

Said man sat across from him at the table, laughing his ass off as he clutched a newsletter he'd just gotten. "My God, this is priceless!"

Yuuto frowned, glaring holes into the wood of the table as Egil let loose another bout of laughter. "I just bet it is. Some friend you are."

"But seriously, just LISTEN to this: 'The Blue Demon that killed an entire Army squad was effortlessly taken down by the Black Swordsman's fifty-slash combo. That man is none other than the solo player Yuuto, who's acquired a Unique Skill known as Dual Blades.' It's unbelievable!"

Yuuto nodded. "Yeah, they really like to exaggerate. It was a 16-slash combo at most. Jeez, this sucks."

"Well, it's your own damn fault~"

Yuuto leveled a glare at Lizbeth, who had come upstairs from the shop with a box of materials in her arms. "I don't want to hear your bitching, because I had to vacate my shop, too. You promised me it would be our little secret, and then you go and blow your own cover. Amateur~."

She grinned as he silently fumed. All three of them turned to regard Asuna, who had just come up the stairs and was leaning against the frame panting.

"Asuna?"

She looked up at Yuuto, an apology in her eyes as she spoke. "What do we DO, Yuuto-kun?!This...is getting out of control!"

* * *

Floor 55: Grandzam.

The Headquarters of the Knights of the Blood Oath, and the exact spot where Yuuto had been summoned by none other than the leader of the KoBO, Heathcliff "The Paladin".

"Is this the first time we've met outside the field of battle, Yuuto-kun?"

Yuuto gazed apathetically at the man. "No, we spoke briefly during the strategy meeting of the 67th floor. I hope you are doing well, Heathcliff."

His advisers stiffened when Yuuto addressed Heathcliff informally, but he merely smiled as he replied. "I'm doing well, Yuuto-kun. I'm glad you asked. In regards to the outcome of that fight, it was a tough battle, and we lost some good people that day. In fact, we barely made it. I know that people call us the strongest guild, but they used to call the Army that, too, before the incident on the 25th floor."

"As it stands now, our forces are nearing their limits." It was at this point that Heathcliff narrowed his eyes at Yuuto. "And here you are, trying to take one of our most important players away."

Asuna made to retort, but Yuuto beat her to the punch. "If she's so important to you, the least you could do is pick competent bodyguards for her."

Heathcliff sighed. "Yes, that was...a mistake on our part. I do apologize about the incident with Kuradeel. He's been appropriately punished. But still, we won't just sit idly by and watch as you take away one of our Vice-Commanders."

Yuuto frowned. "Who said I was taking her away? Is a small scheduled leave of absence too much to ask?"

Heathcliff cocked an eyebrow at Yuuto's choice of words. "...you were in the Army in the real world?"

Yuuto shook his head. "No, and I'm not about to tell you what I was. We're off-topic as it is. Asuna should be able to request leave when she needs to, seeing as she is a 'valuable member of your guild' and all."

Heathcliff smirked at this. "Oh? Then perhaps you would care to make a wager?"

Now it was Yuuto's turn to cock an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Inwardly, Heathcliff was grinning. Outwardly, "I propose this: Fight me. With both of your swords. If you win, Asuna gets her leave time, and any further requests will be sanctioned and approved by me personally."

Yuuto folded his arms, leveling a curious look at Heathcliff. "And if you win?"

At this point Heathcliff grinned, unable to help himself. "Then you become a member of the Knights of the Blood Oath, and serve under me."

Asuna bit her lip at this, before turning to Yuuto. "Yuuto-kun, it's alright. We'll find some other way to-"

"I accept your wager, Heathcliff."

Her gasp, as well as the gasps of Heathcliff's advisers, echoed through the chamber.

"Besides..." Yuuto smirked, leveling an intimidating look at Heathcliff. "I've always been better with blades than words."

* * *

Despite the fact the duel took place the very next day, word about it had spread like wildfire.

Yuuto, "The Dual-Wielding Demon" vs. Heathcliff, "The Living Legend".

This was to be the duel of the year, a one-time event, and seats to the arena where the duel had been relocated (it had originally been designated at an empty clearing on the 36th Floor, but because of the vast amount of people who wanted to see such a feat, it had been forced to be relocated to the main dueling arena of the 75th Floor, in the town of Collinia) were rapidly selling out.

One person in particular was rather...unhappy with the entire setup.

"YOU COMPLETE IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT?!"

Yuuto cringed as Asuna practically screeched her rage at him. "Yell a little louder, please. I think my hearing's going."

She groaned. "This is no time for jokes, Yuuto-kun! You're fighting Commander Heathcliff. THE Heathcliff. The Undefeated Man, the man that has never, EVER, lost a duel. No only that, but not a single person has seen his health bar drop below green since this game started two years ago!"

She managed to calm herself down a bit, and continued. "Yuuto-kun, when I first saw your dual-wielding skill, I thought your strength was on a whole other level. However, the Commander has a Unique Skill, as well."

Yuuto cocked an eyebrow at this. "He does, huh? Guess I won't have to hold back once he whips it out."

Asuna fumed. "You've seen it before, you idiot!"

Yuuto put a finger to his chin, thinking back. "Hmm...ah, you're right! It's called...Divine Blade, right?"

She nodded. "A skill that maximizes both attack and defensive power. The attack is quite strong, but the defense is simply incredible. It's an incredibly OP (overpowered) skill."

Yuuto chuckled. "That's most certainly the case."

Asuna bit her lip. "What are you going to do? If you lose, not only will I not get my leave, but you'll have to-"

Yuuto stood abruptly, cutting her off as he gave her a smile, one of those smiles that she honestly believed he reserved specially for her. "Then it's a good thing I don't plan on losing, right?" Rubbing the back of his head, he began to head towards the tunnel exit, which opened out into the main battlefield. "Would suck if I fought with the intent of losing, ne?"

She watched him go, a smile of her own plastered to her face. '_Good luck, Yuuto-kun...'_

* * *

Heathcliff sighed, and looked apologetically at Yuuto. "I'm terribly sorry about all of this. I didn't know that this was going to get so..."

Yuuto supplied the rest. "Out of control?"

Heathcliff laughed. "Yes, that. Had I known our guildmembers have such big mouths for gossip, I'd have issued the challenge in private. Again, my apologies."

Yuuto shook his head. "It's fine. Besides, with such a packed stadium..." He gestured to the completely filled stands, the coliseum abuzz with cheers and shouts as the spectators eagerly awaited the start of the fight. "I get a percentage of the total net profit."

"No."

Yuuto raised an eyebrow. "After this fight, you'll be a member of my guild. I'll treat this as your first mission, and will compensate you according to the standard mission payout for new recruits."

Yuuto scoffed. "Cheapskate."

Heathcliff grinned. "Just another reason for you to win our little duel, ne?"

Yuuto sighed, then grinned back. "Sure, why not?" Scrolling through his menu, he activated his Dual Blades skill set, Dark Repulsor appearing on his back in a small flash of light.

Heathcliff blinked. "Using Dual Blades right from the get go? Aren't you in a bit of a rush?"

Yuuto smirked. "Don't play games with me, Heathcliff. You know that I know about your Unique Skill. Most everyone already does. I'm not about to face someone with a Unique Skill without having my own as backup."

Heathcliff ahh'd in reply. "A wise decision. Had you decided to go soft on me from the start, I'd have destroyed you in mere seconds, Yuuto-kun. You're rather shrewd, aren't you?"

Yuuto shrugged, drawing both of his blades and twirling them casually as he spoke. "I prefer to think of myself as duly informed."

Heathcliff smiled, and scrolled through his own menu, this time issuing the duel challenge. Yuuto accepted and the start counter began to count down.

Heathcliff's outfit was strikingly different from the typical Knights of the Blood Oath outfit. Being the Commander and subsequent leader of said guild, he wore a set of armor that identified him as such: Breastplate, stomach plate, shoulder plates, arm plates, arm guards, hand guards, gloves, upper and lower leg plates, shin guards, and armored boots. All were blood-red bordered in gold, except the gloves and cape were a stark, pristine white.

His shield, a gray tower shield resembling a cross, had a red cross painted on the front. Heathcliff's scabbard was kept behind his shield, and he drew his blade as he gazed at Yuuto, a dull gray weapon with a black hilt and a thin red cross on the guard, waiting for the start counter to reach zero.

**[-3-]...**

**[-2-]...**

**[-1-]...**

**[-START-]**

In the blink of an eye, Yuuto had closed the distance between them, Dark Repulsor arcing through the air as he used Elucidator to knock Heathcliff's shield aside, giving Repulsor a clear path to Heathcliff's chest.

Eyes widening, Heathcliff couldn't believe it. '_He's fast! Too fast!'_

Heathcliff used his sword to deflect Yuuto's, and thrust his shield forward, forcing Yuuto to backpedal slightly lest he be hit in the face. Heathcliff took this opportunity to thrust his blade forward, intent on stabbing Yuuto in the chest.

His blade was deflected by Yuuto's however, and the two continued to trade blows, sparks flying as blades scraped against one another, Heathcliff's shield taking a beating as Yuuto continued to hammer against it.

A cross slash met Heathcliff's shield, and he stumbled backwards under the continued assault, a double horizontal slash raking across his shield so hard his arm felt as if it had received the blow itself. An uppercut cross slash followed by a spinning horizontal saw slash, and for the first time, Heathcliff wondered if his shield could take such punishment.

'_How? With this much strength, it shouldn't be possible for him to move this fast! Only a dedicated tanker can possess this much power, but he moves like a speedster...could he be using __an armor break build? It just doesn't make sense!'_

_**(A/N: For those of you who don't understand the terminology, builds are when players design their character a certain way, ie, attack/defense power and large health bar = Tanker Build, speed and increased number of attacks = Speedster Build, and high piercing and increased overall critical hit damage = Armor Break Build.)**_

From the sidelines, Asuna watched with baited breath as Yuuto continued to drive Heathcliff around the field, slipping under the man's guard more often than not and taking nicks and bits of Heathcliff's health, occasionally taking some tiny scratches himself. The sound of metal on metal rang through the air amidst the cheers and shouts of the crowd, although her fists were still clenched tightly to her chest.

_'Yuuto-kun...'_

Heathcliff managed to draw his blade across Yuuto's cheek, but relished his momentary victory too soon as he felt cold steel swipe across his own. Backpedaling once more, Heathcliff sought to keep a manageable distance between himself and Yuuto, but the man kept working his way into his guard, before relentlessly hammering his defenses.

Grunting with the effort of blocking Yuuto's strikes, Heathcliff began to sweat as Yuuto's repeated hammering began to take its' toll on his shield arm, his left arm trembling from the continued blows. '_His speed's impressive, but his strength...it's incredible!'_

Thrusting his shield forward, Heathcliff frowned as Yuuto used Dark Repulsor to deflect the shot aimed at his gut, before blocking another aimed at his chest. Working Repulsor under Heathcliff's shield, he flung them both upwards, knocking Heathcliff's sword to the side with Elucidator as he began to bring Repulsor down for a vertical slash, the green blade humming with energy as he poured a massive amount of power into the strike.

Yuuto finally let a small smirk grace his features. '_He's mine.'_

The blade came within half a foot of Heathcliff's face before the world seemed to simply freeze around them.

It took Yuuto a moment to realize that it had, in fact, completely frozen.

_'What the hell?!'_

With speed that was, literally, impossible to have, Heathcliff brought his shield down and blocked Yuuto's strike, before using that speed to thrust his blade directly towards Yuuto's stomach.

Only the years of dodging countless blades and bullets prevented Yuuto from taking a sword to the gut. Elucidator seemed to come out of nowhere, slamming into Heathcliff's blade and diverting its' course away from Yuuto's stomach, the edge leaving a small tear in Yuuto's undershirt as he spun around and-

***DING***

Both combatants stopped, the duel having ended with that sound. Even if they'd continued, no further damage would have been applied, so each wordlessly sheathed their weapons as the crowed roared in excitement.

Some of the roars turned to gasps of astonishment as the results were displayed.

**[Time - 1:30]**

**[Yuuto – 60/100 Points Remaining]**

**[Heathcliff – 60/100 Points Remaining]**

**[Duel Result – Draw]**

Yuuto blinked. This being his second duel, having one win and one tie to his record didn't seem too shabby.

Heathcliff, however, was completely dumbfounded. He'd never, EVER, lost a duel before today, and while a tie wasn't considered a loss, it was also the end to his perfect record. Even though a draw counted as neither a win nor a loss towards one's overall duel score, a perfect record could only be achieved if the player won every single one of his or her duels.

That would forever be out of Heathcliff's reach, now.

Frowning, Heathcliff turned to his opponent. "Well, it appears that our agreement now has no purpose. Since neither of us won OR lost, none of the agreed-upon results can come to fruition."

Yuuto regarded Heathcliff with a blank look. "True..."

Sighing, Heathcliff turned and began to leave. "Tell Asuna-san to report to headquarters at 08:00 tomorrow. I have an assignment for her-"

"Wait."

Stopping, Heathcliff turned to regard the crestfallen expression of his opponent.

"Yes?"

"...I have a proposition for you, _Commander_ Heathcliff."

Hearing Yuuto use his title for the first time, Heathcliff grinned. "Go on~"

* * *

_**Chapter 10's done, and looks like the chapter per episode bit we had going on in Chapter 9 was a one-hit wonder.**_

_**Should've known :/**_

_**Anywho, hope you enjoyed the duel. Felt that a draw would be much more suitable than a loss, as I felt Kirito got robbed in Episode 10.**_

_**Just to clarify, regular duels do not draw virtual blood, as the Safety protocol is still on due to them being in the city/town, where the no-fight areas are strictly enforced. However, a duel to the death outside of the city/town will draw virtual blood (duels to the death cannot occur inside cities/towns, obviously, because the Safety protocols prohibit a player's heath from dropping below 50%).**_

_**As for adding virtual blood to the storyline, I figure it adds a layer of depth to the story not found in an RPG setting. You already know that you die if your HP hits 0, but to add virtual blood makes it more realistic for those who still don't believe SAO's a death game.**_

_**Yes, Boss Battles obviously draw blood. Would be a moot point to add virtual blood to the scenario and not have it present in Boss Battles. Same goes for dungeon battles, seeing as the Safety protocol has been disengaged and you're literally fighting for your life.**_

_**Just wanted to clear up any confusion regarding the virtual blood. It adds depth to the story, makes character death more brutal, and makes the majority of the people who are still ignorant about the consequences of dying think twice before rushing headlong into a fight.**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Of Guilds and Goals**

**Floor 50: Algade**

**Egil's Merchant Shop**

There was a loud bang, as Lizbeth dropped the box of tools she was carrying, wide eyes conveying the shock she was feeling.

Egil's mouth was open, words failing him at the moment as Asuna simply stared.

Everyone was looking at Yuuto, or rather, what he was now wearing.

His Coat of Midnight was gone, replaced with an overcoat of similar design save one important difference: It was white, with red stripes crossing his arms, chest, and collar. A white under armor had gray outlining, but otherwise added to the overall Knights of the Blood Oath garb.

"Y-yuuto-ku-"

"Asuna."

She blinked, and everyone seemed to snap out of their stupor, hurling questions at him until he raised a hand for silence. Turning to Asuna, he spoke.

"Your leave has been granted. You are to report to headquarters tomorrow at 08:00. Your leave is scheduled in a few days time. If anyone needs me, I'll be upstairs."

With no chance of a response, Yuuto turned on his heel and strode up the stairs, taking them two at a time until he reached the guest room before promptly closing the door behind him with a bang.

With a look between Liz and Egil, Asuna ran up the stairs after him.

Egil sighed, causing Liz to look at him. "What?"

The man shook his head. "Yuuto's head over heels for that girl."

Lizbeth blushed. "W-what do you mean?"

Egil gave her a blank look. "What do you THINK I mean? I mean, you SAW the result of the duel between him and Commander Heathcliff. It was a draw. That means that neither of them would receive their end of the bargain, since nobody won OR lost."

She nodded, and he continued. "So why is it that Asuna got her leave? Or that Yuuto's apparently joined the Knights of the Blood Oath?" When she shrugged, he groaned. "It means he made a deal with Heathcliff: He would join the KoBO in exchange for Asuna getting her leave. Basically, he sold his soul to the devil, so to speak."

Eyes widening in realization, Liz nearly dropped the box she'd just picked up, managing to place it on a nearby table before sitting.

"B-but he HATES guilds! Ever since...you know..."

Egil nodded, looking towards the door that Asuna had entered a minute ago when a loud crash was heard. "S'why I said it. That guy has it bad."

_'On a side note, I really hope that wasn't my lamp breaking. That asshole'll have to buy me a new one if it was.'_

* * *

Hurrying up the stairs, Asuna forwent knocking in place of carefully opening the door and peeking her head in.

Yuuto was lying on the bed, one arm crossed over his eyes. He didn't even stir as she entered the room and closed the door behind her.

Walking over to the bed, she gently sat on it and took his other hand in both of hers, rubbing small circles on the back of it with the pad of her thumb.

"Yuuto-kun..."

When she got no response, she bit her lip and sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you swept up into all of this. It's my fault, and I apolo-"

"Don't."

She clamped her mouth shut as he finally sat up, dull blue eyes boring holes into the bed as he spoke. "I don't blame you, Asuna. Things got out of control, and I did what needed to be done. End of story."

"But joining a guild-"

"It's fine. I was reaching the limit of what a solo player can do safely on their own, anyway. This could be a good chance for me to gain a few levels-"

"Don't try to change the subject."

He grit his teeth, but said nothing. After a few moments, she gathered the courage she needed to ask an important question:

"Yuuto-kun, why do you avoid people? Why do you hate companionship?"

As if some invisible rope had suddenly snapped, Yuuto jerked his hand from Asuna's and promptly put his fist through the wall, startling her even as he spoke in a harsh, anger-laced voice.

"I've TOLD YOU WHY! The fact that I was unable to beat Heathcliff today only proves to me that I'm still too weak! I'm unable to protect ANYONE, let alone companions I might have!"

She stood and placed her hands on his arm, tugging on it to remove his hand from the wall. "But that incident...that was over a year ago! Why can't you-"

Finally letting her jerk his hand free, he yanked his arm from her grasp as he spun on her, his arm knocking a lamp into the wall with a crash as he let his eyes bore into hers, fire in them as he yelled. "BECAUSE I FAILED THEM! I FAILED **ALL** OF THEM! I LET THEM DIE! I COULD HAVE **SAVED** THEM, BUT I WAS TOO FUCKING WEAK TO STOP THEM FROM...from..."

His shoulders slumped, all fight left him, and he spoke in nearly a whisper. "...One year ago...I joined a guild...it was small, only 5 members strong, but they had heart. Their levels were far lower than mine. I neglected to tell them that, and instead kept it to myself. I figured that no harm would come from it, that I could protect them if the need arose, if they found themselves against an enemy that was too strong."

Asuna sat on the bed once more, listening raptly to the tale she'd only read in the papers and heard in hushed whispers as she walked by gossip corners in the town square. Even one year later, the event was still fresh in everyone's minds.

"The way they seemed so...comfortable together. It was something I...envied. Something I desired. And for a time, things were good. We had fun..._I _had fun, something I don't do often. And yet...on that day..."

Even as he spoke, the images of those he'd considered close friends dying while he was powerless to stop it burned past his vision, causing his eyes to water against his will.

"We were about to buy a house. Our leader, Keita, went to go get the keys to the property we'd saved so painstakingly for. Everyone else decided that it would be a good idea to go to the dungeons, get a little extra Cor and surprise Keita when he came back. I wanted to object, but didn't want to spoil their good moods."

"We ended up doing far better than I hoped we would, until we came to a hidden room...inside was a lone treasure chest, conveniently unguarded and in the middle of the room. I knew it was a trap the second I saw it, but the others had already run inside, eager to see what was inside the chest. I had to stay with them, to keep them safe, so I followed."

"Things just went horribly wrong from there...Ducker opened the chest...the room turned red...the teleport crystals didn't work...the walls opened and waves of golems and dwarves poured in..."

Tears were flowing down Yuuto's cheeks, even as he tried to hold them back. "They didn't stand a chance...Ducker, Sasamaru, Tetsuo...even Sachi...I promised her...I PROMISED HER...I swore I'd keep her safe...keep them all safe, and yet..."

Clenching his fists, he fell to his knees, tears staining the wood as he hung his head. "I got them all killed. If I hadn't hidden the fact that I was a beater...I could have warned them how dangerous the trap was."

The bed squeaked as Asuna stood, but Yuuto ignored it. "If I had been stronger...If I had told them who I really was...It's all my fault...I...I..."

He nearly jumped as a pair of hands gently cupped his cheeks, and he was forced to look into the tear-filled eyes of Asuna, a watery smile on her face.

"I'm not going to die, Yuuto-kun...because I will be the one protecting you, okay?"

To his ever-growing surprise, she pulled his face into her chest, holding him tightly. He raised a hand to protest, then let it fall to the ground as he simply sat there, letting the pain flow from him as tears from his eyes, crying softly as Asuna held him.

She wept for him, for all the pain he'd suffered through, and all the guilt he placed on his shoulders. No one, not even someone as strong as Yuuto, should have to bear the weight of the world as he did.

* * *

The next day, Asuna and Yuuto were chatting in the common room when the Forward Commander, Godfree, entered with a smile on his face, and a proposal on his lips. He was a giant of a man, similar in height to Egil with chestnut hair and a scraggly beard, thick arms and legs and a tree trunk of a torso. However, he was the epitome of a gentle giant.

"Training?"

Godfrey beamed, and Yuuto felt himself returning a small smile despite himself. Godfrey was a likable, easygoing person. He always held an aura of friendliness and camaraderie about him, and just made everyone like him without even trying.

"Indeed, my youthful friend. You and I shall form a party with one other, and together we'll go clear out the dungeon on the 55th Floor."

Asuna, however, was having none of it.

"Now see here, Godfrey, Yuuto-kun and I are more than capable of-"

Godfrey let loose a loud laugh, and Yuuto smiled even more. Asuna just fumed.

"Even as the Vice-Commander, you cannot ignore the rules, Asuna-sama. As the Forward Commander, I need to be able to rely on Yuuto-san's skills, even IF he's working directly under Heathcliff-dono."

"He's FAR stronger than you are, Godfrey! He can MORE than take care of himself!"

Again, Godfrey laughed, seemingly unfazed by his superior's mood. "That's great! That's JUST the kind of talent we need in the Knights of the Blood Oath. I will be most looking forward to seeing you in combat, my friend! We shall depart in thirty minutes! I will see you at the Western Gate!" In higher spirits than he entered, Godfrey left, practically glowing with a brilliant radiance that made Yuuto question how that was even possible.

Asuna merely huffed before slumping back into her chair, arms crossed and muttering, "But I want to spend time with Yuuto-kun..."

A hand on her head made her look up. "It's fine. I'll be back soon, okay?"

Pouting for a moment longer, she nodded. "Be careful, okay?"

Yuuto chuckled. "It's a training exercise. Everything will be fine."

* * *

30 minutes later, and Yuuto was SERIOUSLY regretting that statement.

Doing his best not to set the other man ablaze with his glare alone, Yuuto pointed to Kuradeel and ground out, "What the hell is this?"

Loud, boisterous laughter heralded Godfrey's response. "We're all part of the same guild now, and we can't have in-fighting disrupting our goal of clearing this game. So, we're going on a teamwork-building exercise!"

Yuuto gave the energetic man a blank stare. "Oi..."

Movement off to his right caught his attention, and Yuuto blinked as Kuradeel bowed.

"I apologize for the way I behaved that day. Heathcliff-dono has punished me accordingly, and I will see to it that I never act that way again. Please forgive me."

Yuuto narrowed his gaze at Kuradeel, but a hand on his shoulder snapped his attention to Godfrey.

"He was demoted from his rank as Sub-Commander to Lieutenant, so take it easy on him, okay? It's been a rough couple of weeks."

Sighing, Yuuto nodded. "Fine, I forgive you Kuradeel. Let's try to get along, okay?"

Kuradeel nodded with a small smile on his face. Godfrey clapped Yuuto on the back hard enough to make the latter stumble.

"THAT'S what I like to see! Okay, so today, I'm going to see how well you two react to dangerous situations, so I'll be taking your crystals."

Yuuto quirked an eyebrow, but nodded and handed over his Anti-Paralysis, Heal and Teleport crystals. Kuradeel did the same, although he handed over additional Burn Removal, Frost Removal and Poison Removal crystals as well. Yuuto blinked at this but chose to say nothing.

"Alright, let's get going!"

* * *

Nearing the entrance to the dungeon, Godfrey continued to sing, "99 Bottles of Ale on the Wall", much to the annoyance of both Kuradeel and Yuuto. He'd started it about halfway to the dungeon, and was currently on the 46th bottle.

Yuuto wanted to gouge his ears out.

Turning to his two compatriots, Godfrey gave them a huge grin before announcing that it was time for lunch.

Shrugging, Yuuto found a spot on the rocky outcroppings that made up the entrance to the dungeons and sat down. Kuradeel did the same, and Godfrey handed out the lunch satchels.

Opening up his satchel, Yuuto immediately went for the beverage, as did Godfrey. Sighing, Yuuto popped the cork out of the bottle, and took a swig.

Something was wrong. He _knew_ this beverage tasted different the moment he took a drink, but by then, it was too late. He let a lone eye gaze over at Kuradeel, who was grinning.

Directly at him.

Tearing the bottle from his lips, he hurled it against the rock wall, the bottle shattering before it turned into blue-green shards and disappeared.

The drug took effect almost immediately, Yuuto losing all control of his limbs as he flopped against the rock he was sitting on, barely able to angle his head and make out Godfrey collapsing to the ground in a similar fashion.

Looking at his HP bar, his worst fear was confirmed.

"P-paralysis potion?"

Kuradeel's shoulders began to tremble, before he broke out into peels of laughter, his mental state clearly showing from the wild, senseless cackling that escaped his lips.

"W-what is the meaning of this, Kuradeel? Weren't you the one who brought the water?"

Kuradeel didn't respond, instead continuing to laugh manically as Yuuto struggled to sit up.

"H-hurry, use the Anti-Paralysis crystal!"

Shakily, Godfrey dug out Yuuto's crystal, but gasped as Kuradeel kicked it from his hand.

"Godfrey-san, I knew you were an idiot, but I never thought you were _this_ dense! You really do have brains for muscles, hahahahaha!"

Godfrey groaned as he tried to push himself off the ground, the paralysis potion making it nearly impossible for him to even move. "W-what's the MEANING of this, Kuradeel?! What are you-AUGH!"

Kuradeel pulled his sword from Godfrey's back, his player cursor going from green to orange for attacking a player even as blood dripped freely from both Godfrey's wound and Kuradeel's sword.

"Listen here, _Forward Commander_...Our party was "attacked" by a gang of criminal players out in the field!" He grinned as he swung his sword again, using an overhead motion as if he was using an axe to chop firewood. The blade bit deep into Godfrey's back, and a gurgled gasp of pain forced itself from his lips as Kuradeel continued to swing every few words.

"Although you both fought hard, in the end, you were both slain. I ALONE was able to fend off the rest of them, defeating them all and returning a tragic hero!"

He giggled, before laughing manically once more as he continued to carve up Godfrey like a Thanksgiving turkey, said man cowering with his hands over his head as he lay helpless under the vicious assault.

"HEY, PLAYER-KILLING SCUM!"

Kuradeel stopped mid-swing, his blade mere inches from Godfrey's exposed neck, a tick developing on his forehead as he spun around to face the person he hated the most in this game.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you bitchboy. How about you pick on someone who isn't defenseless, you special-ed reject!"

Completely forgetting Godfrey, who lay bleeding on the ground, Kuradeel strode forward with anger in his steps, rearing back and slapping Yuuto across the face.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU INSOLENT WHELP!"

Yuuto grinned inwardly. He'd managed to stop Kuradeel from killing Godfrey. Although the man was still bleeding from his many wounds, it would take quite a while for his HP to drop from it's current 1000 to 0 from blood loss. That gave the ginger-haired man a chance to flee when the paralysis potion wore off.

Turning his head back to Kuradeel, he grinned as he continued to taunt the other man. "I'm so happy you decided to play with me. I was beginning to feel left out~"

Grinding his teeth, Kuradeel lifted his sword and slammed it into Yuuto's left arm, causing the man to choke on his own saliva as a gargled yell tore itself from his throat.

"You want me to 'play' with you so much? Fine. LET'S PLAY!"

Grinding his sword into Yuuto's arm, he tore it out before slamming it into his right leg, another cry of agony tearing itself from Yuuto's throat.

And yet...

"I-is this all you have? Really? My mother could do more damage with a fucking frying pan!"

In all honesty, mocking your tormentor as he's stabbing you repeatedly with a sword is probably not the best strategy when it comes to getting out alive, but Yuuto was more concerned with keeping Kuradeel's attention. Through the pain-filled haze clouding his vision, he could already see Godfrey managing to get up, before stumbling towards the dungeon entrance in search of assistance, having managed to grab and use the paralysis crystal Yuuto had given him earlier. The rest of the crystals were nowhere to be seen.

A sharp pain in his shoulder forced him back to reality with a lurch, and another pained cry echoed through the canyon.

Looking at his HP bar, he saw it finally enter the yellow, and chuckled despite the pain.

"Congratulations, you finally managed to bring me down to half health. It only took me sitting completely still for a minute while you hacked away like a mani-AUGH!"

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" yelled Kuradeel, blood flying as he continued to hack away at Yuuto, his once white cloak now stained with his comrades' blood as he traded reason for anger. "Because of a punk like you, I got demoted! Because of a little upstart like you, Asuna-sama now hates me! Because of a son of a bitch like you!"

Blood shot from Yuuto's mouth as Kuradeel plunged his blade into his stomach, but he managed a grin, his teeth pink from his own fluids as he spoke. "So, can we just forgo the bullshit and agree that you're a member of a Player Killing guild?"

Kuradeel paused, then began to laugh once more. "You...despite the fact that I fucking hate you, you're too fucking smart. Yes, I AM a member of a Player Killing guild. One you and your friends should be well familiar with."

Scrolling through his menu, Kuradeel unequiped one of his armguards, flashing a tattoo of a partially opened coffin, a skeletal arm pulling the coffin closed. A wicked smile was on the top of the coffin lid, and Yuuto narrowed his eyes.

"The most infamous Player Killing guild, the Laughing Coffins."

Re-equipping his armguard, Kuradeel shot Yuuto a wicked grin. "That's right. Or at least, we were, until you and your fuck-buddies killed most of our members and imprisoned the rest. You destroyed my guild, so I needed another one. Luckily, the Knights of the Blood Oath are a bunch of idiots!"

He laughed, ripping his blade from Yuuto's stomach with a sickening squelch, causing Yuuto's back to arch in pain, blood pouring from his lips.

"Tell me, how does it feel, knowing that you're about to die? Hm? Why don't you tell me what it feels like to die?"

Yuuto let out another scream, this time from having Kuradeel plunge his sword directly into his chest, another large globule of blood erupting from his mouth as he did his best to move his arms, managing to get his right arm up, grabbing Kuradeel's blade firmly.

Kuradeel's smile left his face, replaced by momentary worry as Yuuto began to pull the blade from his chest. Looking at his HP bar, it was dropping faster than he had anticipated, already in the red and falling.

1,000...

800...

600...

That nasty smirk returned to Kuradeel's face. "So you ARE afraid of dying, huh? Well, let me hear you beg for your life, scum!"

"F-fuck...you...Kuradeel..." he hissed, his strength fading as red began to encompass his vision.

The blade began sliding deeper into Yuuto's flesh, and despite all the strength he could possibly put into his right arm, it wasn't stopping. His eyes began to feel heavy, and his senses were dulling.

All he could feel was pain, and all he could smell was blood.

His blood.

'_Fuck_…._Guess I'm dying...or rather, I'm just about dead. Should have never trusted this fucking weasel in the first place...it's my fault...never should have gotten close to anyone...'_

A picture of Asuna flashed through his mind's eye, her smiling face as she told him it was going to be okay.

Despite all the pain, despite all the blood, a small smile managed to work its' way onto Yuuto's face.

_'Asuna...I'm sorry...'_

"Yes, YES! Die. Diediediediediediedie! DI-*guh*!"

Without warning, a bright green light flashed, and Kuradeel was hurled bodily across the ravine, slamming into the rock wall with a crash as his blade landed several feet from him.

Dimly, Yuuto recognized auburn hair, a white uniform, and wide brown eyes.

* * *

Asuna raced through the canyon, going faster than she had ever gone in her entire life.

She had been watching the trio's status', far too bored to do anything else, when both Godfrey and Yuuto had gone into paralysis.

Immediately, Asuna knew something was wrong, as Kuradeel was the only one who wasn't paralyzed. When Godfrey's health started to drop rapidly, she told the rules to fuck off and sped off towards their last location, heart in her throat as she increased her speed well past the acceptable perimeters set by SAO, literally gliding over the ground as she raced to get there before...before...

She looked at the map. Just a few more corners, and she'd be there.

She rounded the last one, and her heart went from her throat to her stomach.

Kuradeel was fine, but Yuuto was...

He was...was...

There was so much blood.

Fire in her eyes and anger in her heart, Asuna didn't even register drawing her sword, only that she lashed out against the man that would take Yuuto away from her, sending him flying into the canyon wall across the way.

Satisfied the threat was temporarily dealt with, she turned and knelt next to Yuuto, horrified to see the complete and utter damage done to his body.

His shirt, or what was left of it, was completely red where it had once been white. His cloak was also bleeding to red. Various wounds littered his body, but the most severe were the stab wounds, gaping holes in his arms, legs, stomach and chest.

She could see muscle and bone, and it made her sick. At the same time, it made her cry.

Grabbing the Health crystal hard enough to cause pain to her hand, she cried out hoarsely.

"HEAL!"

The crystal shattered in her hand, and the blood on Yuuto's cloak vanished. His shirt repaired itself, the blood on it also vanishing. Slowly, far too slowly for Asuna's liking, the wounds on Yuuto's body closed, flesh knitting together as the Health crystal did its' job.

The glazed look in Yuuto's eyes was replaced with clarity, sharp blue meeting hers with disbelief.

"A-asuna...?"

She nodded before closing her eyes, tears falling freely. "Kami-sama, I made it in time...Kami-sama...I made it in time...thank you..."

She turned to a still-stunned Yuuto. "I was watching you on the map, then Godfrey's health began to drop. I raced here as quick as I could but...You're alive...You're alive, right Yuuto-kun?"

Giving Asuna one of those smiles he reserved specially for her, he managed a nod. "I am, Asuna. I'm still alive."

The two were alerted to Kuradeel, who had grabbed his sword and was using it to pull himself to his feet.

Steel the likes of which Yuuto had never seen hardened Asuna's eyes, and she glared at the offender before turning to Yuuto. "I'll be right back, okay? I have to take care of this. It'll be over soon." Softness had replaced the steel as soon as she looked at him, but after he nodded, the steel returned and she stood, hand on the hilt of her weapon as she strode towards Kuradeel.

Having finally manged to stand, Kuradeel shook his head to rid it of the dizzying sensation of being hurled into a wall. He heard a ring of steel scraping against steel, and looked up to see Asuna unsheathing her rapier. He paled.

"Asuna-sama, t-this was just training. Yes! Just a training exercise! We had a little accident, and-"

The bite of cold steel against his cheek caused Kuradeel to stagger back, Asuna's blade dripping with his blood as she gave him a look he didn't think possible from one as pretty as Asuna.

Gritting his teeth, he swore as he swung, Asuna deftly ducking the swipe and peppering him with thrusts. His health began to drop rapidly, his broadsword unable to block all of the attacks as she hammered his defenses, his wails of agony as his blood splattered the ground in tiny droplets echoing through the canyon.

Throwing his sword to the ground, Kuradeel fell onto his knees before bowing, his hands covering his head as he pitifully wailed for mercy. "I get it! I'm sorry! I was wrong! What I did was wrong! I-i'll leave the guild! You'll never see me again! I swear it!"

Glaring at Kuradeel, Asuna leveled her blade at his head, her eyes hard as she switched to a reverse grip, bringing it up with the intent of driving it straight through his skull.

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

The blade halted mere inches from Kuradeel's head, Asuna's eyes softening slightly as she began to pull away.

Kuradeel smirked, grabbing his fallen sword and swinging with all his might, knocking Asuna's rapier out of her grasp as he brought his own sword above his head for a downward strike.

"YOU'RE FAR TOO NAIVE, VICE-COMMANDER!"

He laughed manically and swung, the blade arcing towards Asuna's head-

-and slicing cleanly through Yuuto's left arm, part of his forearm and his hand exploding into shards as his stump gushed blood freely.

Kuradeel was dumbfounded, caught completely off-guard.

Asuna's eyes went from shock to horror as she saw Yuuto sacrifice his limb to save her.

"Enough is ENOUGH, Kuradeel!" Yuuto roared, his right hand glowing red as he charged an attack. "Give my regards to the devil, cause I'M SENDING YOU TO **HELL**!" With a battle cry, Yuuto deftly moved inside Kuradeel's guard and thrust forward, his fist erupting out the back of Kuradeel as he punched a hole clean through the other man's chest.

Blood spewed from Kuradeel's mouth, coating Yuuto's cloak as it splattered onto his head, face and neck, Kuradeel unable to stop as he continued to vomit blood from his mouth.

After several seconds, Kuradeel finally stopped, his health bar completely gone as he dropped his sword, the metal clanking against the ground as Kuradeel slumped against Yuuto, his blood dripping to the ground as he hissed into Yuuto's ear.

"Hehe...f-fucking murderer...I'll see you there~"

With that, Kuradeel shimmered before exploding into blue-green shards, his blood turning into shards as every trace of him vanished, leaving Yuuto's cloak once more white.

For a little while, at least.

Without a second thought, Yuuto tore the left sleeve of his cloak in half, making a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding, before wrapping the excess material around his stump.

It would take a while, and it would hurt like hell, but the game would regrow his left hand. He was just going to have to play one-armed for a while.

With a roar, Yuuto hauled off and punched the canyon wall, the rock fissuring before shattering, boulders crumbling around Yuuto as he stumbled away from the wreckage, falling to his knees before he began punching the ground.

Asuna rushed over, snapped from her reverie as she grabbed Yuuto's remaining hand, preventing him from pounding the ground further as she looked away. "Please...stop."

Yuuto tensed when she grabbed him, but after a moment he sighed, letting his arm limply fall to his side as he gazed at the hole he'd punched into the ground.

"I never should have trusted him. I should have regarded him with suspicion, and I NEVER should have let him get as close as he did. It's my fault Godfrey nearly died. If you hadn't come when you did..."

He felt her hand leave his, and he watched as she got up and went to check on Godfrey. She returned a few minutes later, letting him know that the ginger-haired man was fine, having received help from several players that he'd stumbled upon in the dungeons. They had teleported him to Grandzam, and he'd been handed over to the Knights of the Blood Oath for treatment.

He nodded, not saying a word. Not looking at her. She knelt, reaching for his hand...then stopped, pulling away. She stared at the bloodied stump that was his left arm, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"This...this is all my fault. You..ended up joining because of me...because I wanted a vacation...you were led into this trap...you lost your arm because of my hesitation..."

She couldn't stop them from flowing, tears staining the front of her chest as she did her best to keep from outright sobbing. "I should...should stay away from you...from now on...I only cause...trouble for you-"

A hand gripped her shoulder, and she gasped as she saw Yuuto lean forward.

He was close...too close...was he going to-

He did.

Her eyes widened as he did the impossible: he kissed her. Not gentle, like she'd always dreamed of, but hard. Meaningfully. Passionately.

She thought this was better than her dreams.

She moaned as he held her close, pushing his tongue into her mouth, letting it gently flick against hers. She responded by pushing against it, rubbing her own tongue against his as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

After a couple of minutes, they broke apart, both flush as they gasped for air.

"You can't."

She blinked. "What?"

He looked off to the side, his cheeks darkening even more as he responded. "...You can't leave me. You...you are the first person to break my barriers, the first person to make themselves irreplaceable in my heart, the first person whom I've ever had feelings for...the first person I've ever loved."

She blushed in kind. "That's why...that's why you can't ever leave me. I...don't know what I would do if you did."

She pulled him close, pressing her lips against his once more. After a few seconds, she broke away and whispered into his ear. "I think I've loved you since the first time we met, when you gave me your rations without a second thought. Even then, I knew that, despite your outward appearance, you're a kind person, Yuuto-kun. I...I love you~"

He nodded, kissing her again as he held her close to his chest. "And I you. Asuna...I want to spend the night. At your place. Tonight."

Her eyes widened, the blush staining her cheeks a dark crimson, but she nodded.

"I'd love it if you stayed over. Let's go back."

* * *

_**Finally, after 11 chapters, we come to the last reason this story is rated M.**_

_**You've already seen the violence, the blood, the gore, and the swearing.**_

_**If all goes according to plan, in chapter 12, you'll get to see some hentai.**_

_**For those of you uneducated in rudimentary Japanese terminology, that is basically porn. Yes, written smut. There will be a warning now, and a warning at the beginning of chapter 12. Those are the only two warnings I'll give for the upcoming chapter.**_

_**If I put more than one hentai scene in this fic, I'll make sure to put at least one warning in front of each chapter that contains one, as I'm not too fond of shelling out softcore porn to minors. If children/teenagers 17 or younger read it, I've given fair warning beforehand, and am no longer responsible for their viewing of the content.**_

_**Parents, if you find your children reading my fic, know that my intent is not to, "corrupt the minds of innocents and youths alike". This is an M-rated fanfiction, and your children shouldn't even BE in this section to begin with. Discipline them, not the author(s).**_

_**It really irks me when I see parents blaming the content rather than their own shitty parenting skills. Yes, it's adult material. Yes, it should only be viewed by people of a certain age or older. But where do you get off blaming the creators for making the content when your stupid ass should have been restricting what your children had access to in the first place?**_

_**It's called parental control. Learn you some.**_

_**For you newbie fanfic writers, this is called covering your bases. Learn you some, too.**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: The Lives We Lead**

After returning from the disastrous 'training' session, despite Asuna's pleas, Yuuto had gone straight to Grandzam, blowing past every and any guard that tried to stop him as he headed straight for the War Room, storming through the double doors and straight into the middle of a strategy meeting.

Upon seeing his bloodied and disheveled state, the room had gone quiet. Even Heathcliff was stunned, knowing first-hand just how powerful the seriously wounded man before him was.

Asuna had followed after him half-heartedly, and had gotten there just in time to see Yuuto use his remaining hand to heft Heathcliff out of his chair before bodily hurling him against the wall, the others present too stunned to do anything but watch.

Heathcliff rebounded off the wall, his back smarting before he was pushed against the wall, Yuuto's arm acting as a bar against the other man's neck as he snarled in Heathcliff's face.

"Just what kind of FUCKING operation are you RUNNING, HEATHCLIFF?!"

"Pardon m-"

"You damn well NEED a pardon, you stupid son of a bitch! How the HELL you didn't know Kuradeel was a member of the Laughing Coffins is beyond me, but I'll be DAMNED if you put Asuna in any more danger! That chucklefucking assclown nearly killed her!"

Any protest Heathcliff might have made died on his lips at this, his eyes wide as he looked over to Asuna, who was looking at the floor.

Turning to one of his advisors, he asked, "Is this true? Has Kuradeel really betrayed us?"

The advisor looked away sheepishly, before steeling himself and turning to Heathcliff. "He did, sir. He poisoned both Godfrey-san and Yuuto-san, nearly killing them both. He also attacked Asuna-dono when she tried to stop him. I was going to tell you-"

Now it was Heathcliff's turn to be angry. "You should have told me BEFORE this meeting started, Janix! I wouldn't have been caught off-guard like this otherwise!"

Janix lowered his head. "Yes, sir! I'm sorry, sir. Please forgive me!"

Heathcliff sighed, then turned back to Yuuto. The steel in the other man's eyes gave him pause, but he pushed past his hesitation. "I had no indication that Kuradeel would do anything of the sort. I am deeply sorry for everything he has put you through. I shall see to it that he is removed from the guild, and-"

"Don't bother. He's dead."

Heathcliff's eyes once more widened, and he turned to Janix, who simply nodded.

"I see."

Nodding, Yuuto let the man go, Heathcliff's feet finally touching the ground as said man cleared his throat while straightening his clothing.

"Considering Kuradeel's actions, you will not be penalized, nor will your statuses be affected. I will fill out the incident report personally, and everything will be taken care of."

Turning to Asuna, Heathcliff bowed, stunning her. "My deepest apologies, Asuna-san. It was never my intention to put you or your friends in harm's way."

Blushing in embarrassment, Asuna bowed quickly. "I-it's no problem, Commander Heathcliff. Yuuto-kun was more than able to-"

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked up into Heathcliff's frowning visage. "No, it IS a problem. Several times I've been given warning about that man, and each time I dismissed it as minor infractions. Even the last time, I should have removed him from the guild altogether when the stalking was reported. I have failed you, Asuna-san, and I intend to make up for such transgressions."

Turning around, Heathcliff placed a hand on Yuuto's shoulder this time. "And you, my friend. Both times you've come to the aid of my Vice-Commander, each time protecting her from those that would threaten not only our guild, but our members as well. You even managed to save Godfrey-san, of which I'm deeply indebted to you. He, as well."

Yuuto gave Heathcliff a blank look. "I do not wish to be rude, Commander Heathcliff, but by chance, is this going anywhere?"

Heathcliff let a small smile grace his lips. "Ever the modest one, Yuuto-kun. Yes, this is indeed going somewhere. I plan to not only extend Asuna-san's vacation, but add you to the list."

Yuuto quirked an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"I'm going to let you and Asuna take an extended vacation from the guild. As an added bonus, you can go back to wearing your regular attire, since I know how much the guild uniform rubs you the wrong way."

At this, Yuuto heaved a heavy sigh, causing Heathcliff to chuckle.

"To be honest, I felt like a damn candy striper in this shit."

Gasps came from the assembly, but Heathcliff simply waved them off. "It's no problem. I understand, and accommodations will be provided so that you can wear whatever you want. It's the least I can do."

Yuuto nodded. "I appreciate it, Commander."

Heathcliff smiled once more. "Then it's settled. Your vacation starts tomorrow."

* * *

Afterwards, dinner had been, once again, a short but interesting affair.

Asuna, having spent over a year trying various combinations of flavors, seasonings, and spices, had managed to recreate several flavors from the real world, such as mayonnaise, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, and so on.

Combine that with her exceptional cooking skills and...well...

Let's just say Yuuto had a whole new appreciation for home-cooked meals.

Having finished a plate of wild boar prime rib coupled with what passed for baked potatoes and broccoli in SAO, Yuuto and Asuna were topping it off with a pot of tea, something that was a nice break from his usual pace, despite Yuuto's apathy towards tea in general.

Overall, it was a lovely evening to an otherwise shitty day.

Little did he know it was about to get far more 'lovely' than he'd originally bargained for.

* * *

_**A/N: See this? This is the part where, if you're reading this M-RATED FANFICTION DESPITE being underage in your state, nation, or country, you skip it. This is the warning I promised I'd deliver last chapter. It's the only one I'm giving out, and I will ONLY be giving out one warning per Adult Scenario from here on out.**_

_**Those that choose to ignore this warning despite being both underage and duly warned shall henceforth revoke their right to being offended, grossed out, and/or "catching cooties". Parents, if you catch your underage child reading this despite being underage, two pieces of advice:**_

_**Punish the little brat. He/she should know better, and let them know that you know that they should know better. Read it a few times, and that last sentence should eventually make sense.**_

_**Don't raise a stink, at least not with me. Suing me would be pointless, as I write this for free, put it on the site for free, and make no money off of doing so. In other words, no money to make off of your child being a curious little idjit.**_

_**For everyone else, either enjoy or skip it~**_

* * *

Both were quietly drinking from their respective cups, each enjoying the companionable silence.

Well, at least Yuuto was. He'd had plenty of action for the day, and having finally regained his left hand, was content to let the evening slide by with nothing too eventful.

Asuna, however, had other plans.

Plans which she'd proceeded to enact several minutes ago.

Satisfied that she'd waited long enough, she suddenly put her cup and saucer down and stood abruptly, causing Yuuto's eyes to open in curiosity, an eyebrow quriked.

"Do you require assistance, Asuna? Is there something you need?"

Smiling, Asuna shook her head. "Yes and no. I'll be right back. Before that, however, would you like some more tea?"

Smiling, Yuuto proffered his cup. "Thank you, I would love some."

She refilled his cup with a smile, but Yuuto swore he saw a grin on her face. It was gone as soon as he saw it, but he could have sworn...

It was probably nothing. Long days filled with near death often let fantasy and reality co-mingle afterwards.

As Asuna skipped up the stairs, Yuuto picked up his cup and took another drink.

He heard rummaging around upstairs, and chuckled. When it came to keeping her room clean, she was still a kid, even though two years in SAO technically made her an adult at 18 years of age.

Speaking of, he'd been noticing that she was filling out quite...nicely as of late. Was it part of the program? Were the sensors constantly scanning their bodies on a weekly, daily, or even hourly basis? Otherwise, how could her breasts have grown so...voluptuous? And her legs, they were longer, sleeker yet with firm, toned thighs. And her ass was almost as voluptuous as her breasts-

Shaking his head furiously, Yuuto set the cup down with a hard blush on his face. Since when did he have such...such..._thoughts_? Was it because of earlier? When they confessed? Why was it different now? Why...

Why was he so hot all of a sudden?

His body was starting to get warmer, and an altogether not-unpleasant tingling sensation was occurring in his nether regions. His throat was now dry, and he reached for his cup to take another gulp of tea.

He swallowed the entirety of it, but his throat was still dry. Getting up from the table, he idly wondered what was taking Asuna so long. Now his legs were wobbly, and he staggered to the kitchen in search of a glass of water, managing to get to the counter before his legs gave out, slumping to the kitchen floor and sprawling on his side.

He dimly recognized all of this, as well as how cool the kitchen tile felt against his face, right before he blacked out.

* * *

Asuna heard the chair scrape across the hardwood floor, and Yuuto's staggering steps into the kitchen. No doubt after a glass of water. She smirked. The drug she'd laced Yuuto's tea cup with...one of its' side effects was a terrible dry mouth sensation, although their mouth wasn't actually dry. It was meant to encourage the user to...quench their thirst, in more ways than one.

Either way, once she heard Yuuto's knees connect with the tile floor, followed by the rest of his body, she grinned like a cat in a canary cage.

Time to get to work.

* * *

Consciousness came slowly to Yuuto, bits and pieces fitting into place like a nice jigsaw puzzle. He remembered when he was a kid, he loved jigsaw puzzles.

…

That was weird.

Okay, new plan: Try and figure out what the hell happened, where the hell he was, and what the hell Asuna put in that damn tea.

First things first: Where he was.

He could feel cool air on his skin, and recognized that he was...naked.

Off to a bad start.

Mentally reeling himself in, he tried to open his eyes, but found them covered by some sort of material.

This was getting worse.

He tried to move, but found his hands bound to what was undoubtedly the headboard of a bed, judging from the way the now-identified mattress creaked every time he moved.

...This was beginning to get worrisome.

The only good news he could see was that he wasn't gagged. He hoped and prayed that wouldn't change.

"Ara, you're awake, Yuuto-kun~"

Crapbaskets.

"A-asuna? Where...you...what's going on?"

Her sing-song voice replied, "Oh, nothing much. Just fixing myself some dessert, is all~"

The majority of his brain scratched itself in confusion, while the lone brain cell in the corner that seemed to know all was in full-blown panic. Might be his intuition, but he'd be damned if he knew. It was bouncing off the walls of his skull as it told him with all it's power to flee, that this was merely the calm before the storm. Of what storm, he could only guess.

So, hoping to get some more information, he spoke. "What kind of dess-ahh!"

He trembled as he felt a hand cup his groin, massaging his balls with a soft, gentle caress.

"Oh, I think you know~"

"Asuna, wait! I-ohgod!"

That hand that had been groping him now encircled his hardening member, stroking him gently to full arousal as he twisted against his bonds, hands clenching into fists as his member throbbed from the sweet torture.

"That's it. I want to see you get nice and hard for me, love."

She began to pump him a bit faster, and despite his restraint, his hips began thrusting lightly of their own free will, Asuna's hand a puppeteer and his hips the puppet, his member the strings connecting them.

"Does it feel good, Yuuto-kun?"

He hissed a yes between clenched teeth, instantly regretting it as she began to jerk him off fully, pumping his dick with such speed and ferocity that it only took a couple more strokes before he came, his cock twitching as he jerked against her hand, a loud moan escaping his lips as he slumped to the bed, panting heavily as his shaft pulsed.

"My, such a large load. And all for me. Thanks for the dessert, Yuuto-kun~"

Even though he couldn't see, he could still hear, and he heard Asuna as she dragged her tongue across his member, her moans as she lapped up his essence causing his member to harden once again.

"Oh, so that wasn't enough for you? Well, I could always use a second helping~"

Behind his blindfold, Yuuto's eyes widened before he arched his back, Asuna's mouth firmly latched onto the head of his cock, her tongue swirling around the tip as she began to suck up the excess semen from inside his cock, drinking from him before she dared to go further, letting a little more of his shaft slip past her lips.

Gritting his teeth, Yuuto did his best not to thrust as she took short, quick swipes at his member, his shaft getting harder each time she suckled on the tip. Slowly, she became accustomed to his length, and she was able to take more and more inside her mouth. Slowly letting her reflexes get used to his intrusion, she started to suck on him more, bobbing her head back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

This had to be a dream. Asuna was not deep-throating his cock, sucking and slurping on his shaft as she bobbed her head on him like he was a popsicle. But the pleasure felt all too real, and his balls were already tightening, her mouth seemingly determined to suck him to orgasm.

"A-a-asuna, s-stop! I...I can't...hold it much longer! I'm gonna-"

"Cum?" she asked, swiping the blindfold from his head. The first thing his eyes saw was Asuna's mouth, her tongue circling the head of his cock as she grinned. "Go ahead. I want it. All of it."

With that, she plunged his dick straight down her throat, sucking and licking as hard as she could, causing his head to fall to the bed as he bucked his hips forward. All resistance was gone. He couldn't withstand this type of assault, and it only took another long, hard suck from Asuna to send him over the edge once more, his cock spasming inside her mouth as it exploded down her throat.

Startled by the amount, Asuna just barely kept from coughing, and instead treated his dick like a straw, sucking and drinking down everything he shot into her mouth, lapping at the head as she suckled the tip for anything she might have missed, before popping his cock out of her mouth.

Yuuto lay on the bed, panting as he struggled to regain his bearings. "I...you...we...what?"

She giggled, laying down next to him as he breathed deeply. "I've been wanting to do this since we fought that demon Gleam Eyes two weeks ago. The way you moved...it was both incredible and incredibly arousing."

Yuuto blushed heavily, sending Asuna into another giggle fit. "But...aren't you...you know?"

"A virgin?"

He nodded.

She shrugged. "Yes and no." When he gave her a baffled look, she explained. "In the real world, I...well, I was playing with my mother's vibrator and well...I think I shoved it a bit too deep. I ended up bleeding...a lot, and it really hurt...a lot, but afterwards, I found that, um...masturbating was a lot more pleasurable when I could put the whole thing inside."

Yuuto was positive his face was resembling a fire alarm, but managed to speak regardless. "So...you were...experimenting and...deflowered yourself?"

She nodded sheepishly.

Yuuto shook his head. "I don't even..."

Asuna looked away. "If that's a problem..."

Yuuto nudged her arm, noticing for the first time that she was also naked. Blushing once more, he shook his head. "N-not really. I was more...surprised than anything else. To be honest, I'm a bit...old-school. I've never really...experimented, as you say."

She blinked. "So you're also a..."

He nodded.

She smiled. "I'm glad." Without warning, she straddled him, rubbing her moist center against his semi-hard organ, which quickly turned to full-blown arousal. "This way, we'll be able to give ourselves to one another for the first time."

Yuuto nodded. "Ano...I never knew that you were so...perverted."

Asuna turned beet red and slapped his shoulder. "Hey! Don't say that!"

It was Yuuto's turn to tease. "The person I love is a pervert. I better hide my porno stash."

She pouted, then grinned. "You shouldn't tease the person that's in control, Yuuto-kun. Otherwise, they might do...this...~" Slowly, Asuna began pushing his erection into her opening, clenching her hands around his hips as she got used to the sensation of being penetrated, her mouth open in a silent 'O' as she slid his member almost fully inside her, the head bumping against the entrance to her womb.

Sighing, she laid herself on his chest, simply enjoying the feeling of being full. It gave her a sense of...completeness. Something that no vibrator had ever done for her. She doubted she'd ever feel this way with anyone other than him, and she smiled even more when she remembered that he loved her back.

A buck of his hips jolted her back to reality, and she moaned as he shifted inside her pussy.

"Hope you're not falling asleep on me, love. That would be really awkward~"

She growled cutely, and slammed herself fully onto his hips, causing both of them to gasp as the head of his cock was enveloped by her womb.

"Y-yuuto-kun~"

"Oh God, Asuna..."

As if they had a mind of their own, and by this point he was positive they did, Yuuto's hips began bucking up into hers, causing her fingers to clench around his shoulders as she grew accustomed to the feeling of his member inside of her channel.

"Yuuto-kun...you're so big..."

Words escaped him at the moment, so he merely kissed her lustfully, Asuna replying in kind as he sped up his thrusts, her pussy enveloping his cock over and over, each meeting of their hips sending a jolt of pleasure up his spine.

"Hah...ahn...g-go a l-little slower, Yuuto-kun...no, don't speed up-AHH!"

Asuna arched her back as Yuuto did just that, finally in control for a change and not about to relinquish that control.

"You...tie me to your bed...practically milk me for my cum...and expect me to not want to return the favor? You're going to squeal, Asuna, and I'm going to make sure you do!"

"N-nooooo~ P-please, I..." She continued to ride him, eyes rolling slightly as his cock ravished her pussy, his hips connecting with her ass with each thrust, causing a slapping noise to echo through the room alongside her heated moans.

He continued to bottom himself out inside her, pleasure unlike anything he'd ever experienced coursing through his veins. Watching Asuna ride him, her voluptuous breasts bouncing with each descent onto his hard cock, her mouth open as panted moans escaped and her fingers dug into his sides as she bucked her hips to meet his own, caused a huge sense of male pride to surge through him, only spurring him to drive his hips harder upward.

He was going to break her. She was absolutely positive his dick was going to break her pussy. She also couldn't care less. It felt so good! She had never experienced this level of pleasure before, and it was driving her crazy with lust. She couldn't ride him hard enough, every thrust of his delicious cock sending pleasure throughout her body, from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head.

Slowly, it started building to a crescendo, a tightening sensation building up inside her belly. Her thrusts got fiercer, and each stab of Yuuto's cock felt better and better.

She dimly realized she was reaching her orgasm.

"Y-yuuto-kun...I'm cumming..."

Her only response was for him to speed up his thrusts, causing her mouth to open in a silent scream as his cock began directly fucking her womb, her toes curling with newfound pleasure as she rode him for all she was worth.

In no time, she reached her peak, a loud, hoarse scream tearing itself from her as she wrapped her legs tightly around his own, slammed her hips down on his, and came hard. Her eyes rolled completely into the back of her head, her fingers digging so hard into his sides that, had they been in the real world, they would have drawn blood.

Yuuto felt her peak, and experienced a female's orgasm for the first time.

There was nothing like it. He had no words for it.

The way her channel seemed to collapse around his member, squeezing it harder than ever before spasming around it, had him moaning loudly before he finally reached his own end, his cock twitching once, twice, before exploding inside her pussy.

If she thought her initial orgasm was hard, the orgasm she experienced as Yuuto came inside her pussy made Asuna's head go white. All she could think about was that hard, throbbing cock shooting semen into her womb, and if possible, she came harder than before, her toes digging furloughs into the sheets as she screamed again.

Briefly, Yuuto wondered if this was what heaven felt like, because he'd never experienced anything so...good, in his entire life. If his eyes weren't closed, he was positive he'd be seeing double, or even triple, from the overwhelming pleasure that coursed through him like molten lead.

Finally, his cock pulsed one last time, sending the last traces of his sperm shooting into her womb, before he collapsed onto the bed, fully and completely spent.

In similar fashion, Asuna collapsed on top of his chest, her hard nipples rubbing against his own as she pressed her full breasts against his chest, panting heavily as she nibbled his neck.

"That...was amazing, Yuuto-kun~"

He grunted in reply, and she giggled. "What's the matter? Too tough for words, love?"

He gave her a tired grin. "More like speaking requires too much effort."

She laughed, and wiggled her hips against his own, moaning in sated pleasure as she felt his cock stir her cum-filled pussy. "Well, you've earned some rest, Yuuto-kun. I've never felt that kind of...it was incredible."

He nodded, looking up at his arms. "It was, but...can you untie me? I think I've lost feeling in my arms."

Asuna giggled again, but nodded. Deftly untying him, she squeaked when he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply.

"My mhmugh mou mmudn't meel mhem?"

He chuckled, and broke away. "What was that?"

She blushed. "I thought you couldn't feel them?"

He grinned. "Got you to untie me, didn't I?"

Batting at his arm playfully, she smirked. "I'll just have to remember to not untie you at all next time~"

Shaking his head, he brought her into another kiss, his free hand rubbing her backside as it gently rubbed her cheeks. She sighed softly into the kiss, rubbing against him as they enjoyed simply being near one another.

Soon, however, fatigue caught up with both of them, and within minutes, both fell asleep, Asuna using Yuuto as a mattress, and Yuuto not minding in the least.

* * *

_**Thar, dat be the pr0n I told ye about.**_

_**Seriously though, tried to make it as realistic as...well, as realistic as you can make something about a virtual death game.**_

_**Regardless, I think it came out well, and I hope those of you who read it enjoyed it.**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Pleasant Surprises**

**A/N: There's going to be a lemon at the beginning of the chapter. This here be the one warning per lemon-containing chapter I talked about. I will let you know when it starts and when it ends. Otherwise, you're on your own.**

Yuuto yawned, his face scrunching in displeasure at the rays of sunlight shining directly on his face. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up and stretched, yawning once more as he took in his surroundings.

'_Completely forgot that I'm on vacation...hell, I've forgotten what a vacation is.'_

After the incident with Kuradeel and the night at Asuna's, both of them had taken their respective leaves and went to the 22nd Floor, better known as Coral Village. There, under pleasant skies, mild temperatures, and light breezes, Yuuto had promptly proposed to Asuna.

_Flashback_

"_Isn't this place perfect, Yuuto-kun?" Asuna sighed, leaning into Yuuto's firm embrace._

_Yuuto nodded. "I'd say almost."_

_She quirked an eyebrow at this, eyes widening slightly when she felt him pull away. Turning around, she was about to ask what the problem was. Any words she could have made died on her lips as she saw Yuuto on one knee, his face positively flushed as he held a small box in his right hand._

"_A-asuna...I've never even...I mean...I haven't exactly..."_

"_Y-y-yuuto-kun..."_

_Yuuto shook his head fiercely. "Gah, I can't speak straight! Um...Asuna."_

_Her heart thudding in her chest, she smiled, tears prickling the outer edges of her eyes._

"_Yes?"_

_Taking a deep breath, he exhaled and went for it. "I've known you for a while...more than a while, actually. A little over two years. In that time, I've come to see you as brash, bold, hard-headed, stubborn, loud, and somewhat annoying..."_

_Blinking with each trait he listed, Asuna's smile disappeared as she became more confused, then angry._

"_Yuuto-kun-"_

"_However, when I got to know you better, I was able to look deeper, see clearer, and find the kind of person you are beneath all that: Caring, kind, considerate, honest, loving, and strong. You're the type of person that is willing to put others before yourself, and will do so with barely any thought beforehand."_

"_Over these two years, you've done what no person before you has: You've broken through my shell. You've stormed my gates, shattered through my defenses, and captured my heart with ease. I can no longer stand to not be around you. You've got me right where you want me, and for once, that's right where I want to be."_

_Cracking open the royal blue velvet box, Yuuto gently pulled out a wedding ring, 10 karat gold making up the actual band. What caught her eye, and Yuuto's when he saw it, was the 2 karat sky-blue diamond sitting directly in the center, a ring of ten smaller half-karat white diamonds encompassing it._

_Tears flowed freely down Asuna's cheeks, and she couldn't help but gasp at the ring. "Oh, Yuuto-kun!"_

_Grinning like a complete idiot while blushing redder than before, Yuuto put the box back into his pocket and gently took Asuna's right hand. "So, to cut a long story short...Asuna..."_

_With what appeared to be practiced ease, Yuuto carefully slipped the ring onto her finger._

"_Will you marry me?"_

_No sooner had the words escaped his lips than she tackled him like a pro defensive linebacker, her lips on his as she kissed him deeply. Arms around his neck, she pressed hard against him before pulling back._

"_Of course, Yuuto-kun! I'd love to marry you!"_

The ceremony had taken place yesterday, and afterwards...

Well, let's just say his hips were still sore.

Smiling at the recollection, he turned to see his wife sigh softly, turning over and nestling her head against his pillow, the gentle swell of her breasts peeking out from under the covers as she inhaled deeply and smiled.

"...Yuuto-kun..."

He chuckled, then blinked as she continued mumbling. "Not there...we're in public...we can't..."

Blushing furiously, Yuuto got out of bed and went to take a shower.

The woman he just married was a bona fide pervert.

* * *

Asuna's dream was perfect.

She'd finally married the man she'd been crushing heavily on. Better still, they were now having wild, uncontrollable sex in the middle of a park.

Who knew she was an exhibitionist?

Right as she got to the good part (as is wont to happen with any dream), the sound of running water reached her ears.

At first, she readily assumed that it was a stream or brook that was located in the park they were romping in, but when the sound got louder, she began actively looking around for the sound-

-and woke up with her hand stuck firmly between her legs.

'_That has got to be the most vivid dream I've had...ever...Kami, I wish it'd lasted a few more minutes!'_

What she took notice of, however, was the sound of running water. It hadn't dissipated.

Which meant someone was in the shower.

'_Now who would-ohmygod, it WASN'T a dream!...Well, part of it was, but that's beside the point! I'm Yuuto-kun's WIFE!'_

Her internal squeal of joy couldn't be kept entirely internal, but the sound of the shower drowned out her glee.

Once done with her internal happy dance, Asuna's mind went elsewhere.

Namely, how she could finish what she'd been doing in the dream.

And she had _just_ the person who could help.

* * *

_Lemon Start_

Yuuto sighed in pleasure, enjoying his shower for a change. More often than not, he would do a quick shower, not only to save water, but because he usually had other things after that.

On vacation, however, Yuuto had jack-squat to do, so he took an opportunity that rarely presented itself, and took a long shower.

Rinsing the suds from his scalp, Yuuto leaned his forehead against the cool tile and sighed again, enjoying the water cascading down his bare shoulders.

He didn't register the door opening, the steady, massage-like beat of the shower lulling him into a sense of security that SHOULDN'T have been false.

Sadly, it was.

He barely registered the shower door opening, but he did register it closing. Cracking his eyes open, he was greeted with the sight of two pairs of feet, one pair markedly smaller than the other.

….Since when did he have four-ohgod!

Lithe, smooth arms wrapped around his waist, delicate hands massaged his groin, and Yuuto inhaled deeply before letting out a hiss as nimble fingers began working his dick into a raging erection.

"Mmm, good morning, dear."

"A-asuna...what are you-"

She silenced him with a jerk of her hand, causing him to groan.

"I think you know, love."

"But we just-"

"That was last night. This is today. Besides, your shower woke me up from a _really_ good dream. I think you owe it to me to finish what it started."

She smirked, slowly stroking his manhood as she pressed herself against him, her pert nipples pressing against his back as she rubbed her breasts up and down his back.

Inwardly, Yuuto nearly sighed. He knew that men were supposed to be the ones gunning for sex every waking minute. He hadn't expected a woman to be like that, and DEFINITELY hadn't expected Asuna to be that woman.

You know what they say about assumptions, though...

With a growl, Yuuto spun around and pinned Asuna against the tile by her wrists, his eyes greedily devouring his wife's voluptuous body.

"Go ahead, Yuuto-kun..." She smirked, slowly spreading her legs in an inviting gesture. "Ravish me."

...Dear God, this woman was going to break him.

Letting go of her wrists, he cupped her breasts and squeezed, eliciting a heated moan from Asuna as he knelt and, without warning, delved between her thighs.

Her moans soon turned into a high-pitched squeak of surprise, followed by louder moans as Yuuto proceeded to devour her pussy, his tongue lapping at her heated core as his lips took every chance they got to suckle her tiny, pleasure-filled nub.

"Y-y-yes! R-right there! Oh Kami! Yuuto-kun!"

Letting her pleasured screams fill his ears, Yuuto decided she was ready and disconnected his mouth from her. A whimper of disappointment came from her, but it was quickly replaced by a shriek of pleasure as he thrust deep inside her, filling her soaked pussy with one stroke.

"So deep...so big...God, don't stop!"

She wrapped her legs around his waist, making it so he couldn't pull out even if he wanted to.

Yuuto had no such inclination.

Gripping her bottom, he let her wrap her arms around his neck before he began pounding into her, gritting his teeth as pleasure surged through his manhood with each thrust, her walls gripping and massaging his shaft as he sunk into her, only to tighten and lock around him as he tried to pull out.

Setting a steady rhythm, Yuuto continued to take Asuna against the tile, her moans and cries mixing with his groans as she met him each time with a thrust of her own.

"Don't stop...keep going-RIGHT THERE! God, keep hitting that spo-OOOOOOOTTT!"

Her nails were digging furrows in his shoulders, but that amount of pain was nothing compared to the pleasure he was feeling right now. His Asuna. His wife. She was practically writhing in his hold, and he loved it.

"How does it feel, love?"

"So...so good! I'm...gonna cum, Yuuto-kun!"

A massive surge of male pride caused him to buck harder into her pussy, causing her to shriek once more as the tip of his cock pushed against the entrance to her womb.

"Right there! Right there! Keep fucking that spot! Harder! Harder! I'm...Yuuto-!"

Arching her back, she clenched tightly around him, screaming in pure pleasure as she covered his shaft with her orgasm.

The way she tightened caused his own orgasm to jump straight to the edge, and Yuuto began to thrust with everything he had.

"No, no, stop...I just came, you can't-"

Bright lights were flashing behind Asuna's eyes, as each harsh thrust from Yuuto sent another mini-orgasm spiraling through her like a firecracker. Her toes were curling with each buck of his hips, and her nipples tingled as another large orgasm began climbing its' way to the surface.

"Asuna...I'm gonna cum...where do you-"

"INSIDE! PLEASE, DO IT INSIDE!"

She punctuated this by locking her arms and legs around him tighter, panting fiercely as she rode him for everything she was worth.

Yuuto knew it wasn't going to take much, but when Asuna's pussy started convulsing for a second time, and her scream of pleasure reached his ears, it was more than enough to shove him head over heels into his own orgasm.

Arching their backs, both of them met their end simultaneously, Asuna's scream mixing with Yuuto's shout as they called out to each other. Yuuto's balls clenched tightly as he proceeded to empty himself into her.

The second Asuna felt a warm, thick essence fill her, she experienced another small orgasm, electricity shooting through her as she moaned loudly. She didn't think simply being filled up could feel this good, even though past experience told her otherwise.

The water now thoroughly cold, Yuuto reached a shaky hand over and shut it off. Slowly, he sat down with Asuna in his lap, holding her flush against him as he kissed her lovingly.

"Mmm...that felt great."

"You always do this."

She cocked her head. "Hm?"

"Sneak up on me, seduce me, then drain me."

She smirked. "I didn't hear you complaining."

Growling, Yuuto pinched a nipple, causing her to gasp.

"If we were in the real world, I'd make you pay the water bill."

She giggled, then kissed his forehead. "It would be worth it, though."

He nodded, kissing her back. "It would be."

* * *

_Lemon End_

"You know, I heard a rumor the other day."

Asuna blinked, looking down at Yuuto. She was currently sitting on his shoulders, having asked him to carry her earlier in the day. It was fun being able to see things way up high like this.

His comment, however, got her attention. "What rumor?"

"Meh, it was just a rumor from the village. I don't think it's important."

She patted him on the head. "C'mon, tell me!"

He sighed, as if bothered. What Asuna couldn't see was his devious smirk.

'_Payback time~'_

"Well, they say that, in this very forest..." he gestured to their surroundings. "One can see things they normally wouldn't."

Asuna became excited. "Is it a rumor about a rare item?!"

Yuuto shook his head, taking a moment to relish the feeling of Asuna's soft thighs against his cheeks. She was wearing a yellow sweater over a knee-length brown skirt and brown boots. His attire was casual as well, a black t-shirt over black jeans and dark blue shoes.

"No, love...more like ghosts."

She'd been inspecting a berry branch she'd picked from a tree along the way, but blinked when he mentioned ghosts. "Y-you mean astral-type monsters, right?"

Shaking his head again, he felt a shiver go through Asuna's body. '_Perfect.'_

"They say that the hatred of the monsters we hunted and slew grew in this forest. Over time, it became a malevolent spirit, bent on seeking revenge for all the monsters players have killed here. They say the spirit takes form here, wandering through the trees in search of unwary players. And when it finds them..."

A loud cracking noise echoed through the air, and Asuna gasped, her head whipping back and forth to locate the source of the noise.

"A week ago, a carpenter came to this forest to gather wood. As night fell, he barely even noticed, because he was so focused on finishing his task. Once he'd finished, it was nearly pitch black. Deciding it was time to head home, he began walking back to the trail. However..."

Another snap echoed through the brush, and Asuna fisted her hand in Yuuto's hair.

"Just as he reached the edge of the trail, a figure in white appeared from behind the trees. The locals heard his terrified screams, but when they got there..."

As Asuna looked around, her eyes widened as she spotted something, her complexion going pale.

"Was it a monster? Perhaps. All the locals know is what the terrified man told them: 'A figure in white, walking amongst the trees before vanishing altogether.'"

"Y-y-y-yuuto-kun..."

Part of him felt bad about scaring Asuna this badly. However, this was payback for jumping him in the shower this morning...no matter how much he liked it.

"Yes, Asuna?"

"D-did the g-ghost look like t-t-that?"

"Look like wha-"

As he turned to where Asuna was pointing, she let out a shriek and began wiggling. "Let me down! Let me down!"

Before he could even kneel, Asuna bent over and used her hands, letting her legs unhook from his shoulders and flipped to her feet. Quickly, she scurried behind him.

"What's the matter?"

"O-over there."

Yuuto chuckled to himself. '_Got her really good this ti-'_ His mind, as well as his body, completely stopped in their tracks as he stared. Just stared.

Because barely 10 yards from where they were standing...

Stood a little girl, dressed in white.

"...You have GOT to be kidding me."

Slowly, as if she was straight out of a 1970's horror flick, the girl turned in their direction...

...and promptly fell over.

Behind him, Asuna blinked. Ghosts didn't fall over...did they?

"That's no ghost!"

Within seconds, Yuuto had hopped a shrub and was speeding over towards where the ghost girl had fallen.

Asuna was compelled to stay rooted to the spot. She could still be a ghost!

"Yuuto-kun...geez!"

Gathering up her courage, she followed...albeit reluctantly.

When she got to the same spot, she found Yuuto cradling the small girl.

"A-a player?"

"No, something's wrong."

She blinked. "What?"

"There's no cursor."

Each and every player, no matter their level, skill, age, gender, nationality, background, guild, or trade, had a cursor. She could have been a NPC (Non-Playable Character, ie, townsfolk), but that was highly unlikely considering the circumstances. Unless it was specifically pre-programmed, NPC's didn't faint.

"Could it be some kind of bug?"

Yuuto shrugged. "As good a guess as any. I honestly have no clue."

Asuna's eyes softened. "What is a kid like this doing in SAO?"

Yuuto shook his head, picking the girl up bridal-style before walking back to the trail, Asuna following.

"I don't know.

* * *

"Well, she's definitely not an NPC, that's for sure."

It had been hours since they'd rescued the little girl in the forest. Yuuto had placed her in his bed, and she'd been asleep ever since.

Asuna nodded. "You'd have gotten a warning if you'd tried to move her too far from her programmed area."

Yuuto hummed in agreement. "And she's not a quest-giver, either. If she were, our quest log would have updated by now, letting us know we'd gotten a new one."

She nodded. "That means she's a player, without a doubt."

Yuuto nodded back. "That's the most likely outcome, at least."

"What was she doing out there?"

"I don't know, but odds are she has a parent or guardian in SAO...or at least had one."

The implications were not lost on Asuna. "Poor girl."

Asuna leaned against him, placing her head on his shoulder. "...She'll wake up, right?"

Yuuto thought about it for a moment. "She hasn't disappeared, so her Nerve-Gear is still intact. She'll wake up...eventually."

* * *

"Y-y-yuuto-kun! Wake up!"

Shooting out of bed with a start, Yuuto instinctively reached for his sword, only realizing after he grabbed air that he wasn't in a dungeon, a field, or any other monster-inhabited place.

Turning, he regarded Asuna with a blink. Then he realized why she'd woken him.

The little girl was looking at him with a question-filled expression.

The fact that she was even awake was good news to him.

Letting his muscles relax, he adopted a small smile and gently walked over to sit on the bed.

"Hello. Are you feeling better?"

After a moment, she nodded.

"Can you answer a few questions for us, sweetie?"

Blinking, she nodded.

Asuna took it from there. "Do you know what happened to you? Where you came from?"

Another moment, then a shake of the head.

"I see...well, how about your name? Do you know your name?"

"My...name?"

Asuna nodded, a bright smile on her face at getting the girl to talk.

"...Yui? My name is Yui?"

It concerned Yuuto that she asked THEM for confirmation, but they had no choice but to assume that was her name.

"Yui-chan, that's a pretty name. My name is Asuna. His name is Yuuto."

"...Auna? Yuto?"

Both of them smiled. "Ne, Yui-chan, do you know where your parents are? Where are your mom and dad?"

"...I don't know. I don't...know anything."

Asuna looked away, her face betraying her sorrow.

Yuuto decided it was his turn. "Hey, Yui-chan. Do you mind if I call you Yui?"

At a shake of her head, he smiled. "Thanks."

"Yuto."

He smiled. "Yuuto. Yu-u-to."

She scrunched up her face, as if trying really hard. Then she looked at him and...

"...Yuto."

He chuckled. "That's fine. How about this? You can call me whatever is easiest, okay?"

She thought about that for a moment.

"...Papa."

"...wha?"

She nodded, pointing to him. "Papa." She then pointed to Asuna. "Mama."

She looked as if she would cry if they told her otherwise, so Asuna smiled and hugged Yui. "Yes, that's right. I'm your mama, Yui-chan!"

A smile that could light up the sky broke out on Yui's face. "Papa! Mama!"

Yuuto smiled, shaking his head. '_Never thought I'd ever be a dad. Well...as long as she needs one...I think I can be one. I hope.' _he added nervously.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he stood up. "You must be hungry, Yui. Let's get you something to eat."

* * *

Sighing, Yuuto couldn't help but think, once again, how he ALWAYS got dragged into these sorts of things.

First, after an important discussion, he and Asuna had decided to try and find Yui's parents, even though Yui had begun to grow on them in such a short period of time. This led them to head to the First Floor, the Town of Beginnings, in search of information regarding missing children.

That wound up culminating in a minor snafu involving the Aincrad Liberation Force. Under the command of Kibaou, who'd performed a stunning coup and seized control of the Army, said Army had devolved from once proud warriors determined to free every player from SAO they possibly could, to little more than self-serving cowards who went around extorting and taxing lower-level players, even going so far as to strip them of any and all belongings they had under threat of death.

This did not sit well with Asuna, nor did it with Yuuto. At her behest, Yuuto let her make short work of the scum. Since they were in a safe zone, they couldn't die. However, that didn't mean they weren't able to feel pain, and after several fierce blows from Asuna's rapier, she made it crystal clear that, unless they fled, she was going to extract her pound of flesh from them post haste.

Needless to say, they ran like the cowards they were.

After that fiasco, Yuuto hoped they could get down to the business at hand. Unfortunately, other pressing business needed tending to, in the form of a request from Yulier, a high-ranking member of the Army. The irony was not lost on either of them.

However, the request was urgent, and with good reason: Thinker, Yulier's commander, had been the former commander of the Army, before Kibaou's coup. According to Yulier, Thinker had trusted Kibaou too much, even agreeing to an unarmed meeting to discuss cessation of hostilities between Kibaou's group of rebel Army members and the main Army group itself.

As a result, he was trapped in a high-level dungeon with no weapons or teleportation crystals, while Kibaou went on to successfully take control of the Army.

However, Kibaou's reign was about to be short lived, if Yulier had anything to say about it. It wasn't just her, though. Aside from his staunchest supporters, Kibaou's popularity in the Army was waning fast, his orders having been responsible for the deaths of Corbatz and his underlings on the 74th Floor.

Yuuto knew that fight all too well, as he'd yet to face an opponent similar to The Gleam Eyes in strength, aside from Commander Heathclifff.

So, with great reluctance at letting Yui tag along, he, Asuna, and Yulier set out to rescue Thinker from his imprisonment in the secret dungeon located underneath the Town of Beginnings.

Snapping back to the present, Yuuto noticed Yulier running towards Thinker, the man waving his hands above his head.

It took him a second to make out what the other man was saying, but when he did, it made his blood run cold.

"Thinker!"

"Yulier, don't! Go back! The monster's-"

Yuuto had already been running towards her the moment he heard Thinker's cries, and he knew why when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of metal arc through the darkness.

"Son of a-" Tackling Yulier to the ground, several strands of her hair were severed as a blade passed through the air where her neck had been.

Drawing Elucidator, Yuuto threw Yulier off to the side before bringing it up in an overhead block, a massive scythe stopping mere inches from cleaving him in twain.

* * *

She'd been ecstatic. There he was! There was her commander! She took off running, heedless of the warnings from both Asuna and Thinker.

The hairs on the back of her neck shot straight up, and she felt the wind whip over her head. The sound of a blade being drawn brought her screaming back to reality as she realized she was tucked safely against Yuuto's chest.

She was unceremoniously tossed across the ground, before looking up as the sound of clashing steel rang through the tunnel.

An enormous scythe was mere inches from Yuuto's face, having pierced the ground where she'd been just seconds ago.

'_….I could have lost my head...I nearly died just now...twice!'_

Growling, Yuuto pushed the scythe back, cursing as the blade sunk back into the darkness.

"Yulier-san, take Yui-chan and head for the safe zone with Thinker!"

Numbly, she did as she was told, grabbing the small girl's hand and bolting for the area where Thinker was waving his arms like a madman.

"Behind you! BEHIND YOU!"

Yulier turned, and got her first good look at the monster.

Clothed completely in a large black robe, two blood-red eyes shone through the dark, bone as white as snow glinting in the dim lighting. A skeletal hand gripped its' scythe, a massive weapon larger than it was by half. The skeleton was at least 8 feet tall, its' robe billowing around it as it swung the scythe in an effort to cut both of them down.

"YOU WON'T TOUCH HER!"

A green blade stabbed directly into its' side, carving deep into the robe, forcing the scythe to miss entirely and impact the stone column to their left, showering them with rubble and debris. Still, it gave them the time they needed to make it to the safe zone.

Yuuto backflipped out of the way, Dark Repulsor sliding out of the wound as he avoided being split in two once again. Asuna drew her rapier and followed suit, stabbing the skeleton with repeated jabs.

Bringing its' scythe around, the speed in which it swung the blade would have seen Asuna split in half at the waist, had Yuuto not intercepted with his blades. Still, the power behind the swing knocked both of them backwards, Asuna skidding across the floor as Yuuto impacted a column, a loud cracking noise echoing through the chamber.

"Papa! Mama!"

Groaning, Asuna stumbled to her feet. Such power behind one swing was not good news.

She saw Yuuto stagger to his feet, before another swing of the scythe forced him to parry, the blow knocking him into the wall with a thunderous crash, rock and stone flying from the crater.

"Yuuto-kun!"

The dust parted as Yuuto shot out of the hole his body had made in the wall, landing next to Asuna and panting slightly, blood dripping down his forehead as he growled.

"Yuuto-kun, you're bleeding!"

"Asuna."

She blinked. "Take Yui, Yulier, and Thinker. Use a teleportation crystal and get the hell out of here."

She paled. "What about-"

"I'll keep it distracted, buy you guys enough time to escape."

"Can't we just fight?"

"I've leveled my ID Skill as high as it can go, and I'm getting nothing from this guy. No HP, MP, strengths, weaknesses, type, or even class. It's definitely a boss, and from the looks of it...it's at last as strong as one we'd see on the 90th Floor."

"Then we should-"

"I fought to a standstill with Gleam Eyes, and it was the 74th Floor Boss. How in the hell do you think we're going to beat a 90th Floor Boss the way we are now?"

She didn't have a response for that, as the boss, who's only description was its' name, roared and swung. Both leapt out of the way, but the floor wasn't as fortunate, and exploded upon the scythes impact.

'_An appropriate name for a boss: The Death Scythe.'_

Her eyes widened when the Death Scythe seemed to appear out of nowhere, weapon in motion as it sought to cut her in half.

"Asun-GAH!"

She blocked the best she could, but still felt herself propelled through the air, skidding to a stop several yards away. Looking up she watched Yuuto slam the floor, before rolling to avoid a follow-up strike aimed for his chest.

He'd barely made it to his feet when the scythe came spinning around again, like a clock of death. He blocked the uppercut, and felt a ligament in his left arm snap like a twig. Pulling back, the Death Scythe spun for a horizontal slash, and despite blocking the strike, hurled Yuuto away like he was a toy.

His cry of surprise was cut short as he impacted the ceiling, the cavern shuddering as rock broke away and fell to the ground below, Yuuto following suit as he hit the ground with a bone-jarring thud.

Asuna's eyes widened, and she struggled to stand as the Death Scythe moved in for the kill.

"No! Get up, Yuuto-kun! GET UP!"

Even if he wanted to, Yuuto's legs were shattered. Not broken, he could grit his teeth and stand if they were merely broken.

No, his legs were shattered, the bones in them broken in multiple places, so that supporting his weight would be impossible, pain nonwithstanding.

He was pretty sure he wouldn't be getting back up.

A rattle of bone alerted him to the Death Scythe, correctly guessing its' prey was down for the count, and moving in to finish him off.

"Asuna, take Yui and run!"

"No! NOT WITHOUT YOU!"

Without warning, Yuuto was looking at Yui's back, her calm demeanor causing even the Death Scythe to pause.

Yuuto felt like his heart would stop. What was she doing?!

Asuna's cry pierced the air. "YUI-CHAN, DON'T! GET BACK TO THE SAFE ZONE!"

"It's alright...Papa, Mama..."

Deciding to clean house, the Death Scythe spun its' namesake before swinging, aiming for Yui's neck-

And striking a solid purple barrier, the barrier violently rejecting the weapon and throwing the Death Scythe against the far wall.

Both widened their eyes, and Asuna could only whisper. "...Immortal Object?"

Indeed, floating above Yui's head was a purple marker with Immortal Object written on it.

Only the Game Master and Game AI's could utilize Immortality.

Holding her hand out, a large ball of fire erupted from her palm, coalescing into a very, very long blade, the sword's color that of freshly spilled blood.

Rotating it slowly, Yui propelled herself towards the Death Scythe, the creature blocking her attack with its' weapon.

Flames immediately burst forth from the weapon, as the Death Scythe struggled to keep its' guard up. Its' bones began to rattle, its' weapon began to shake-

A thin red vertical line neatly bisected the skeleton, its' eyes rolling into the back of its' head before it let out a blood-curdling shriek as it exploded into flame, the fire licking at its' robe as it hungrily consumed the creature.

It continued to shriek, even as its' bone began to disintegrate, turning to ash under the intense heat of the flames. As the Death Scythe disintegrated, the ball of fire got smaller and smaller and smaller, until finally its' skull crumbled away. The fire then dissipated, leaving nothing but small embers behind.

Through a pain-filled haze, Yuuto merely stared at Yui.

Was this the same child that, a day ago, had barely even remembered her own name?

He felt Asuna next to him, trying to help him stand.

"My legs are broken, Asuna. I can't stand."

She blanched, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a Health Vial. "This will do until we get back."

Nodding, he threw back the vial, instantly feeling his bones knit together as if he were one giant piece of unruly fabric. Staggering to his feet, he held onto Asuna for support as he looked once more at Yui.

"Mama...Papa...I remember everything now."

The little girl smiled, but it was a melancholy smile. Yuuto could only guess what was behind it.

Slowly, the trio walked to the safe zone, Thinker and Yulier having teleported out earlier in the fight. They'd tried to take Yui with them, but she'd jumped out at the last second.

Now, sitting on the large stone table in the middle of the room, Yui smiled softly as she stared at them both.

"Yui-chan...you regained your memories?"

She seemed to contemplate her response, then nodded.

"Yuuto-san, Asuna-san."

Both were taken aback. Yui never was able to say there names, let alone with such clarity.

"This world, Sword Art Online, is controlled by a single, multifaceted system of immense proportions. This system is codenamed Cardinal. It was designed to operate without any human interference, making it a completely autonomous unit. It regulates the balance of SAO according to its' original parameters, as well as its' own discretion."

"From Monster and NPC AI, to drop rates for items and money, as well as the rarity level of said items. Every last detail is controlled by the Cardinal's processes and executive programs. Even...player psychological care..."

She closed her eyes. "Mental Health Counseling Program: Prototype 1. Code Name: Yui."

Opening her eyes, she smiled softly. "That is what I am. That is me."

Asuna could not believe it. Her darling Yui...her sweet, innocent, impressionable Yui...was an AI?

"I was programmed with the ability to emulate emotion, which would allow players to feel at ease around me." Her smile turned bitter. "I'm a fake. Every last piece of me."

Tears began running down her cheeks. "Even these tears...I'm sorry, Asuna-san, Yuuto-san."

"Yui-chan..."

Asuna reached out to touch her, but she shied away. Letting her hand fall to her side, she looked at the ground. "But you had amnesia. Can that even happen to an AI?"

"Two years ago, on the day of the launch, for reasons I was never told, and thus never understood, Cardinal forbade me from interacting with any of the players. I was forced to do nothing but continue monitoring the mental status of the players."

"It was utterly horrible. Terror, despair, rage, jealousy...player after player became overcome with negative emotions. Some of them...went absolutely insane."

"Normally, I would have gone to them far before any of this occurred, but because I was forbidden to interact with them, I could only watch. Gradually, errors began building up within me, and my program began to fall apart."

Looking up, Yui managed a soft smile at them. "However, one day, I saw two players whose mental parameters were far different from the others."

"Joy, peace, happiness, love...but it was so much more than that. It was a feeling that transcended them all...the feeling of hope."

"I wandered through the forests, hoping to get as close to you two as possible. Yuuto-san, Asuna-san...I've always wanted to meet you. Strange, isn't it? That I'm capable of feeling these things. I'm only a program..."

Asuna shook her head. "Yui-chan, you aren't just an AI...you have true intelligence."

Yui shook her head. "I don't know what I am anymore."

Having said nothing the entire time, Yuuto stepped forward and knelt in front of Yui. "Yui, you're not just some program the system controls anymore. By that logic, you should be able to say what you want, yes?"

She looked up, and he gave her a warm smile, causing more tears to flow down her face.

"What do you want, Yui?"

Even through her tears, Yui smiled. "I...I want...to be with you two, forever and ever. Mama...Papa!"

Asuna was by her side in an instant, wrapping her in a hug. "Together. Forever and ever."

Yuuto sighed, then wrapped them both in a hug. "Yeah, sounds good. After all...you're our child, Yui-chan."

Asuna's eyes widened, then she smiled as tears cascaded down her cheeks. "Yuuto-kun..."

Yui let even more tears fall. "Papa...my papa...it's too late, now."

Blinking, Yuuto looked down at her. "What?"

Letting go of Asuna, Yui touched the table they were sitting on. Immediately, a keyboard and screen came into existance. "This is a console that grants GM access to the system. I used it to delete the monster from before. However, now the system is running a background check on my program. Since I disobeyed the Cardinal's orders, it will consider me a foreign object. Then it will delete me."

Asuna's eyes widened, and she took a step back. "No..."

Yuuto's eyes hardened. "There must be SOMETHING we can do!"

Yui shook her head. "Papa...Mama...thank you. For everything."

Asuna's legs gave out, allowing her to sink to the floor where she began to sob.

Yuuto watched as she wrapped her arms around Yui, holding onto her dearly.

'_Think, damnit. You're not nearly as good as your comrades are in terms of computers, but there must be SOMETHING that you can do! ANYTHING! Even if we have to scramble this blasted system to-'_

Yuuto gasped, getting both of their attentions. "Yuuto-kun?" "Papa?"

Grabbing her arm, Yuuto pulled Yui to her feet, getting her to face the controls. "Yui, can you still log into the system?"

She shook her head. "No, I've been locked out of the system while I'm being checked."

Yuuto cursed, then another idea hit him. "Use my login."

Both blinked. "Yuuto-kun, you have a GM login?"

He shook his head. "No, but I have the next best thing: A Beta Tester login."

Yui's eyes lit up. "That would work!" Quickly, she entered Yuuto's login information, getting to the main screen of the system. "Now what?"

Yuuto thought for a moment. "If we can somehow mix your data in with something else, we can essentially hide you from the system. They can't find your program if its' not there to begin with."

Yui nodded. "We could try that, but I would need to integrate my data with something stable. It can't be a NPC, Monster, or Object. It would have to be a player."

Yuuto nodded. "That's fine. Mix with my data."

Yui blanched. "I..."

Yuuto slammed his hands on the table. "C'mon, we don't have much time!"

"But you could be permanently damaged!"

"It doesn't matter!"

"You could die in real-life!"

"YOU'RE MY CHILD, I'LL TAKE THAT RISK!"

Asuna watched the exchange, her eyes widening after Yuuto's last response.

Yui, too stunned to speak, merely nodded. Rapidly punching keys, she started the integration process, mixing every piece of data she needed within Yuuto's own data matrix. She couldn't take everything, however. If the system discovered she'd hidden, it would systematically check every piece of data in the mainframe, and would eventually discover where she'd hidden, erasing both her AND Yuuto in the process.

Even as the last of her crucial data was integrated within his matrix, Yuuto watched as Yui began to disappear. "Yui, I thought-"

"I couldn't put everything in there. I had to leave something for the system to delete."

"But your program-"

"Is fine. It's safe, right here."

At this, she pointed to the pendant that was hanging off of Yuuto's neck.

"I mixed a portion of my data with you, and found a fragment of dragon ore that you still possessed. I put the bulk of my data in there. This is my heart. Keep it safe...Papa, Mama."

With that, Yui smiled and vanished.

_**Chappy up! Sorry about the wait...for pretty much everything. When your source material comes from the internet, and you have no internet connection, it makes it a bit hard to write. At least, if you want to remain accurate, that is.**_

_**Until next time!**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Worst Yet to Come**

"Please tell me that I'm not the only one who's getting deja vu off of this crap."

"It's just you."

"Shut it, Klein."

Egil shook his head. "Down you two. No need to fight before the actual fight."

"Firebrand started it."

"Says the gothic lolita."

Yuuto growled, the glint of his Elucidator causing Klein to take a step back. "Joking, man. Joking."

Letting it slide back into its' sheath, Yuuto nodded. "Damn right you were."

What Yuuto was referring to was the 75th Floor Boss' entrance. Rather dark, dim, and depressing, the double doors were markedly similar in size and shape to the 74th Floor's, the only difference being the lack of macabre artwork on the front.

"Everyone squared away? Good."

Heathcliff strode in from the left, standing at the center and facing them with authority. "The Knights of the Blood Oath will be leading this assault, and as such, will receive the most damage from this battle. Meanwhile, I want the rest of you to find openings and target them with precision, speed, and accuracy. Upon finding said openings, make sure to relay that information to one another. This will make the battle that much easier to win."

"I do not expect this battle to be easy. In fact, I expect it to be difficult. Know that one misstep can cost you your life. But do not falter, for we can and will be victorious."

"For our day of liberation!"

A cheer went up around the crowd of assembled players, about 40-50 in total.

Yuuto grit his teeth, mentally preparing himself for the fight ahead, when a familiar hand slipped its way into his own, squeezing it lightly as a soft voice whispered into his ear.

"It'll be fine, Yuuto-kun. I'll be protecting you, remember? So, make sure to protect me in return."

Yuuto nodded. "I will. Whatever it takes."

Heathcliff pushed against the door to the boss room, turning one last time to make sure everyone was ready. When he got no objections, he threw the door open.

From the get-go, Yuuto drew out both of his blades, not wanting to get caught off-guard.

Turning to Klein, who had his katana at the ready, and Egil, who had his battle axe in both hands, he regarded them both. "Try not to die."

Klein chuckled. "Same to you."

Egil laughed. "I'm gonna make a fortune off of today's drops. No way in hell I'm dying before that."

The door open, Heathcliff took a moment for everyone to steel their nerves, then...

"Attack!"

Varying roars echoed through the air as the entirety of the clearing group charged into the room, a vast, flat, circular disk with a sharp drop on all sides. Further out, there were multiple platforms of similar design, each seemingly spread out with no apparent pattern. They seemed to go on forever in every direction.

What warranted such a large group was what happened beforehand. Ever since the fiasco on the 25th Floor, each boss since had been scouted by a group no less than half a dozen. This would guarantee that at least one of the soldiers would make it back and give accurate information on the boss for that floor.

This time had not been the case, as the scouting part of 10 Army soldiers had gone in. 5 minutes later, and still no response from the scouting group, the second group opened the doors to the boss chamber to find...

Nothing. No boss, no soldiers, no blood or weapons lying around.

Simply nothing.

As a result, they were going in blind on this one.

Looking around, Yuuto immediately had a bad feeling about this one.

The boss was nowhere to be seen. There was only the one platform that they were on that could be reached. Each other platform was far, far too spread out from their location to even warrant the thought of jumping towards it.

Looking around, everyone was thoroughly confused...

Until the sound of skittering began to echo through the room.

No one could find out where it was coming from. Left, right, front, back, underneath, overh-

Asuna blanched, looking straight up and pointing with her rapier. "THERE!"

Shooting their gazes skyward, nearly everyone watched in horror as the boss revealed itself from the darkness. Hanging upside down, each segmented leg clicking against the roof, its' long, skeletal frame bore no mistaking.

Klein paled. "The Skull-"

Yuuto finished. "Reaper..."

At the declaration of its' name, the Skull Reaper roared, 5 bars of health shooting to life as it let go of the ceiling and proceeded to plummet to the ground below.

Heathcliff snapped out of his stunned disbelief and roared his orders. "SCATTER! DON'T GROUP UP!"

Most soldiers complied. Most everyone complied. Unfortunately, two men were still frozen to their spots, weapons trembling in their hands as the creature descended upon them.

"HURRY! OVER HERE!"

Yuuto motioned for the two to make a break for it, and they finally turned tail and ran. However, one of them simply hadn't been fast enough, and he was crushed under the bulk of the skeletal beast, its' bladed legs impaling him before he exploded into shards.

The landing of the boss caused the other player to stumble, and without hesitation, the Skull Reaper swung one of its' arm blades, the player turning around in time to let out a harsh scream as it sliced neatly through his midsection, blood and organs spraying the ground before he exploded into shards.

Those that hadn't paled upon discovering the boss did so at this display.

"With just one hit..."

"T-that's insane!"

"Killed them both."

"It split Tanaka in half like a grapefruit!"

"We're all gonna die!"

Hissing in glee, the Skull Reaper sat there, drinking in the fear of the other players. Its' appearance was that of a large, skeletal centipede, although its' skull was similar to that of an Alien from the _Aliens_ series. Each one of its' hundred segmented legs had a blade at the end that was as long as most players were tall, save its' two forearm blades which were at least 1 ½ times the size.

Satisfied with the wait, the Skull Reaper shot forward, its' blade cleaving a head from a soldier's torso as blood sprayed the floor, the soldier exploding into shards even as the Skull Reaper shot towards its' next target.

Pandemonium was the name of the game, and even the Knights of the Blood Oath played it spectacularly. You couldn't have asked for a better scene of people screaming and running around with absolutely no destination in mind, other than, "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THIS BEHEMOTH!"

The Skull Reaper set its' sights on another target, the poor bastard merely closing his eyes as the large yet fast beast closed in, swung...and was blocked by Commander Heathcliff's shield.

Heathcliff didn't even bat an eye, while the Skull Reaper pressed harshly against the defense...before sidestepping Heathcliff and bisecting the soldier he was just protecting. Heathcliff shielded himself against the spray of gore that covered his shield, but before he could retaliate, the creature already had another target in mind.

Said solider screamed as it sped straight for him, only for Yuuto to block the strike meant to split him vertically down the middle. The soldier took this opportunity and fled, while Yuuto barely bit back a scream of pain, the forearm blade digging deep into his shoulder.

'_This fucker's...too strong!'_

Even with both of his blades, he couldn't press the Skull Reaper back. Cursing heavily, he saw it rear its' other blade back-

Only for Heathcliff to block it, Asuna knocking the other blade away from Yuuto as it was thrust backwards by the combined efforts, hissing in displeasure.

Groping for a vial, Yuuto drank the contents and watched as the blood dripping down his coat vanished, the gaping slash in his shoulder knitting together as Asuna helped him to his feet.

"Together. We can block it together."

Yuuto nodded, for once not having anything to add to that. Instead...

"Everyone, we'll block the forearms! The rest of you attack it from the sides! GO!"

With that, everyone charged forward, hacking and slashing and stabbing and cutting at the Skull Reaper's sides. Deftly blocking another strike, Heathcliff stood firm against the creature's blade.

Hissing, it tried to strike Asuna, only for her speed to once again pull her through, deftly moving out of the way of its' blades time and time again.

Aiming for Yuuto was doing it no favors, as each time it missed, Yuuto would take a large chunk of health from its' bar, deflecting strikes instead of blocking them outright when dodging wasn't enough.

Round and round the platform they went, players charging in from all sides when possible to get a good attack in on the boss. The Skull Reaper swiped its' tail in anger, and two more players screamed as they were flayed, organs spilling onto the ground before exploding into shards.

Egil and another man made their run, taking a nice chunk of health out only for it to lash out with its' side legs. Egil took a slash on the arm, blood running down his elbow. The other took it straight in the throat, stumbling backwards as he gurgled for air before exploding into blue-green shards. Egil roared, retaliation the only way to soothe the pain of watching another comrade die.

Klein was darting around the creature, using his speed and agility to keep undetected as he took small potshots at it, taking nicks and bits of health with each slash. Finally, when it left its' underbelly exposed, Klien slid underneath, brought his sword up, and buried it to the hilt in the creature's bony underbelly.

Squealing, the Skull Reaper flailed, another soldier losing both of his arms as it lashed out. Before he could even scream, his head was severed from his neck, all appendages bursting into shards.

Another soldier was impaled on its' tail, blood shooting from his mouth before he was unceremoniously hurled over the side of the platform, bursting into shards along the way.

Deflecting and dodging multiple strikes, Yuuto and Asuna wove their way towards the Skull Reaper, before both plunged a blade into its' chest. Hissing in pain, it pushed forward, trying to catch them with both forearms. Putting all three of their blades together, a brilliant blue-white light shone through them as they spun around and lashed out once more, deep slash marks marring the bone of the Skull Reaper, who was thrown back by the last attack.

* * *

The battle lasted an hour.

One by one, each of the Skull Reaper's vulnerable points were found, and subsequently abused worse than a redheaded stepchild. One by one, each of its' respective health bars began dropping lower and lower, until there was one red bar left.

Stumbling, the Skull Reaper lashed out, although its' attacks were far less damaging than they had been before. Still, the fact that its' critical hit ratio was through the roof was what let it OTK so many players, so each sluggish swing was blocked with full intent.

With each attack, the boss got weaker and weaker. When its' tail stopped moving, Heathcliff noticed.

"PRESS THE ADVANTAGE!"

With that, each and every player went on the offensive, attacks of all color, shape, and size driving home and dropping the boss' health bar lower and lower.

Soon, the Skull Reaper couldn't even move its' lower body. Making one last, desperate attack, Yuuto rotated through it and, with every ounce of strength he could muster, hurled Elucidator at the Skull Reaper's head like a javelin.

The gleaming black blade struck true, embedding itself to the hilt in the creature's skull.

Screaming, Skull Reaper flailed wildly, forcing everyone to back away lest they be hit by the wild limbs.

Arching its' back, the creature screamed one last time before exploding into a huge cloud of blue-green shards, Elucidator landing with a loud clank on the ground.

Silence.

Pure, sweet silence.

Followed by a **-Congratulations-** sign hovering in the air, signifying the defeat of the 75th Floor Boss, The Skull Reaper.

No one cheered, however. Most were too busy sucking wind. Others were filled with despair.

Yuuto staggered over, picking up Elucidator and sheathing both of his blades before collapsing onto his ass, sighing as he struggled to regain his energy. Asuna was by his side, sucking wind.

Klein was the first to ask the question everyone wanted to. "...How many did we lose?"

Silently, Yuuto brought up the party browser. His eyes hardened. "...Fourteen. We lost fourteen."

Egil inhaled sharply. "N-no way."

Everyone that heard the remark became pale. They hadn't lost that many people since the 42nd Floor.

Klein looked down at his katana. "We still have 25 Floors to go, too."

Egil exhaled. "Will we ever make it to the top?"

Yuuto shook his head. "Of course we wi-" His train of thought was stopped, however, when he saw Heathcliff.

Everyone, except him, was exhausted. All were sitting down...except him. Heathcliff remained calm, cool, and collected, with nary a scratch on him.

With this in mind, Yuuto stood, stretched-

And within the span of a second, buried his blade into Heathcliff's throat.

Gasps and shouts all around echoed through the room.

Asuna was absolutely stunned. Yuuto killed Heathcliff in cold blood? Impossi-

As she was running over, she caught a closer look, and her blood ran cold.

Yuuto hadn't buried his blade in Heathcliff. His blade hadn't even touched him.

Rather, it had been stopped by a purple force field.

If this wasn't damning enough, the "Immortal Object" sign above his head did the deed.

Yuuto frowned, as if this had been what he'd been expecting all along. "The game ensures that his HP never, _ever_ falls into yellow." Gasps could be heard around the room. Everyone already knew of Heathcliff's infamy regarding his health, how no one had ever seen it drop below green in the 2+ years of SAO. Not even during his duel with Yuuto, or this last boss fight, did it ever stray a hair below green.

"For the longest time, I've been wondering: Where does he watch us from, controlling the events the way he does? Where would he get the most satisfaction out of it? And then, just now, it hit me. The simplest answer possible. One even a kid could figure out. The answer is this: The first rule of MMORPG.

No one ever just wants to watch it. Isn't that right...Kayaba Akihiko?"

* * *

There was no way he could have anticipated this.

This was why he was in such high spirits right now.

This..._THIS_...was what made MMORPG's so entertaining.

This...was what made Yuuto so entertaining.

Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Yuuto to actually discover him. He never expected him to deduce his identity so quickly. He truly was the man meant to fight him in the end.

"Would you be so kind as to tell me how you figured it out? The health bar alone couldn't have given me away."

"Our duel gave me my first suspicions. That last attack...I had you dead to rights. Were it a real fight, I would have split you in half. Instead, you somehow managed to move fast enough to deflect my strike, never mind nearly gutting me with a counter. You moved fast...too fast. Faster than was actually possible. I've had my eye on you ever since."

"I thought as much. That was an unfortunate mistake on my part. You pushed me harder than I thought possible that day. You broke through my defense so splendidly that I needed to use the system's Over-Assist function just to block your last attack. Even still, I couldn't land the final blow on you."

Heathcliff, with everything laid out on the table...started to chuckle, sending dread throughout the ranks. He was supposed to deny the accusations. Tell Yuuto he was crazy. Order his arrest for blasphemy. Rant about how he was leading the players of SAO to their final liberation...

Instead, he merely confirmed it all.

"Yes, I am Kayaba Akihiko."

Morale in the room dropped off the platform itself, nearly every player feeling abandoned, doomed, or just downright miserable. One of their ace players was, in fact, the treacherous snake behind everything that had happened to them. Such a betrayal was too much for them to take. People had killed themselves over less.

"If I might add, I was also supposed to be the final boss who awaited you at the top floor."

"That's pretty wicked. Taking the strongest player, and transforming them into the Final Boss."

Asuna gripped Yuuto's hand tightly, worry etched on her features.

"Not a bad twist to a story, ne?"

Yuuto merely snorted his disapproval.

Heathcliff, now identified as Kayaba Akihiko, shook his head with a smile. "You know, from the first time I met you, I knew you would be the one who would stand against me in the end. Your Dual Blades skill only confirms it. It was meant to be given to the player with the fastest reaction time, and that player would then go on to play the part of Hero against the Demon King, me. However, your skill and power far exceeded even my expectations. I can definitely say I'm impressed."

"Our loyalty...our hope...how dare you...HOW DARE YOU!"

Raising his sword above his head, a lieutenant from the KotB launched an attack at Kayaba's back. However, Kayaba merely pressed a button, and the player fell to the ground, twitching with paralysis.

Like clockwork, each and every player in the room experienced the same crippling status ailment.

All except Kayaba and Yuuto.

Asuna clutched his cloak as she slid to the ground, and Yuuto helped her lay on the stone floor as he stood. "So, what's your plan now? Kill us all here to keep your dirty little secret safe?"

Kayaba laughed. "No, of course not! I would never dream of doing such a thing!" He sighed. "I suppose it's time for me to leave, though. I wish you hadn't discovered me so soon, Yuuto-kun. I would have liked to train my Knights of the Blood Oath a little more before parting ways. However, I suppose that when the hand is forced, you must make do with the cards in it."

"However..."

Slamming his tower shield onto the ground, Kayaba smiled at Yuuto. "I cannot leave before first giving you a reward for discovering my identity, Yuuto-kun. It is only proper."

Yuuto narrowed his eyes, keeping part of his body in front of Asuna. "How fun. I get a present from the puppet master. Is it a new set of strings?"

Kayaba laughed once more. "Another reason why I like you so much, Yuuto-kun. You know how to joke in times of great stress. Most cannot. No, what I offer is a chance."

Yuuto quirked an eyebrow. "A chance? At what?"

Kayaba smiled. "Why, to end the game, of course."

Yuuto's eyes widened, as gasps were heard around the room.

Kayaba's smile grew. "Yes, a chance to end this game far earlier than expected. Such an offer is very generous of me, no?"

Yuuto could not disagree. "No, it is very generous. Too generous. What's the catch?"

Kayaba wagged his finger. "Ever the tactician. Always thinking three moves ahead. The 'catch', as you say, is simple: You and I, one-on-one. A duel unlike any other."

"Naturally, I'll deactivate my Immortality, but otherwise our stats will remain unchanged. Should you defeat me, every last player left in SAO will be logged out. No strings attached. Everyone will be allowed to leave."

Yuuto narrowed his eyes. "And should I lose?"

Kayaba's smile hardened. "Then you die, and I await everyone in the Ruby Palace on the 100th Floor."

Yuuto grit his teeth, and Kayaba laughed. "Well, how about it? This is the only offer of its' kind, and I ask you this question once."

A hand clutched at Yuuto's pants, and he turned to find Asuna, eyes wide as she struggled to pull herself to his level. Instead, he knelt and pulled her against him.

"Don't do it, Yuuto-kun. We can't. Right now, we need to regroup and heal."

Each and every player he'd come across flashed through Yuuto's mind, both ones that were alive and ones that were not. Each face held something in common: They'd experienced fear, pain, and sadness at the hands of Kayaba Akihiko.

The choice was clear.

"Don't insult me, Asuna."

Her eyes widened. "But-"

He smiled at her. "I'm sorry. But I have to do this. There's no other choice."

"There is! We can leave! We can go home-!"

"But it won't really be home, will it?"

She could see the determination in his eyes.

"...You're not going to die, right?"

Yuuto smiled. "I'm going to win, Asuna. I promise."

She shook her head. "Promise me you won't die. Promise me!"

Letting her go, she slid off of his body onto the floor as he stood. "YUUTO-KUN!"

Reaching back, Yuuto unsheathed both Elucidator and Dark Repulsor, twirling the weapons with practiced ease as he circled around to find a spot to face Kayaba.

"Don't do it! Yuuto!" "It's not worth it, Yuuto!"

Stopping, he turned and regarded Egil's terrified face. "Egil...thank you for supporting the swordsman class. I know that nearly all the money you obtained you spent on equipment for the lower-level swordmen who needed it."

Hot prickling began to irritate Egil's eyes as Yuuto continued. "Klein...I'm sorry. I never should have left you in the Town of Beginnings. I'm truly, truly sorry."

Klein couldn't help the tears that flowed. "Don't SAY that, Yuuto. Don't you FUCKING say that, man. You still need to get a meal with me when we get back to the real world! Don't you forget that!"

Chuckling, Yuuto nodded. "Of course. My treat."

Looking towards Asuna, he smiled. No words needed to convey what he felt.

Turning, he regarded the man before him. "Before we begin, I have one condition that must be made."

Kayaba raised an eyebrow. "Oho, and what is it?"

Yuuto sighed. "While I don't plan on dying...if I do die, you have to promise me that you'll prevent Asuna from killing herself. At least, for a little while."

Kayaba's eyes widened. '_Even when faced with the possibility of death, he thinks of others._'

Giving Yuuto the first, honest smile the man had seen, Kayaba nodded. "Done."

Hearing this request nearly broke her heart. "Yuuto-kun, no! You can't...YOU CAN'T DO THAT! YUUTO-KUN!"

With a press of a button, Kayaba deactivated his Immortality, the purple block fading as his health matched that of Yuuto's, dropping into the yellow for the first time in the game's history.

An eerie calm settled over the battlefield, neither combatant making a move.

'_This isn't a duel...it's a fight to the death...and we both know it. Without a doubt...I'm going to KILL HIM!'_

As if some invisible force vanished, Yuuto charged Kayaba with a roar.

* * *

_**CLIFFY...sort of...not really. But that's beside the point!**_

_**Almost done with SAO:ALR, with the last chapter coming up!**_

_**Do not fret, though. A second story, continuing where this one will leave off, will be posted in due time.**_

_**So sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy the last part of this virtual-reality thrillride.**_

_**-Sgt. Assassin**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: A Life Redeemed**

Yuuto roared, Elucidator barely making a sound as it headed straight for Kayaba's head. The man merely raised his shield, and the strike was blocked.

Just as Yuuto intended.

Rotating his body, Yuuto dragged Elucidator across the shield, sparks flying as the two opposing forces clashed, the movement of Yuuto's weapon forcing Kayaba's shield away from his body, a prime target for Dark Repulsor, who was coming in from the left with serious intent.

White blade met green, though, as Kayaba blocked the strike, pushing his shield forward in an attempt to bash Yuuto in the face. Backpedaling, Yuuto lashed out with Elucidator again, pinning Kayaba's blade between both of his before jerking it to the left, in an attempt to wrench it from Kayaba's grasp.

Seeing this, Kayaba spun, disengaging his blade and bringing it around in a horizontal arc meant to disembowel. Yuuto stopped it cold with Elucidator, thrusting Dark Repulsor forward in an attempt to stab Kayaba through the head, the latter sidestepping the strike.

'_Kayaba created the Dual Blades combat system, so he knows each and every attack programmed for it. If I have any hope of beating him, I need to use my own knowledge, my own techniques, and my own attacks. He can read the game's moves, but he won't be able to read my own.'_

"Spiral Star!"

Bringing Repulsor back, Yuuto began hammering at Kayaba's shield, each strike forming a pattern that, when completed, resembled the shape of a star, before spinning around and, with great force, knocking Kayaba's shield aside, letting Yuuto follow through with his second combo.

"Double Spiral Star!"

This time, Yuuto used both blades, Repulsor keeping Kayaba's shield occupied with the same series of moves while Kayaba was forced to deflect a similar set of moves coming from Elucidator, his sword arm trembling from each strike.

"Galaxy Saw!"

Performing a horizontal kickflip, Yuuto used the momentum of his rotation in mid-air, and let his arms stretch outwards, his blades spinning one on top of the other to create a saw-like rotation, literally raining blows down on Kayaba, the latter hard-pressed to block them all.

"What's wrong, Kayaba? I thought you were going to KILL ME!"

Kayaba grit his teeth, leaping backwards as Elucidator came down for the final blow, missing and slamming into the ground, a large fissure forming where the man once stood.

'_That last strike would have broken my shield arm if I'd taken it. What amazing power.'_

Yuuto growled, looking at Kayaba from his position on one knee, glaring daggers at the other man as he slowly stood, debris falling from Elucidator's blade as he ripped it out of the fissure it had made.

"Not done...not even CLOSE!"

* * *

From her position on the floor, Asuna watched with increasing surprise as Yuuto switched from his standard attack pattern to a completely new one.

'_He's never used those moves before...he's got his own set of moves! Then that means...'_

In her eyes, Yuuto's chances of winning shot up dramatically, if he was using moves that Kayaba had never seen before.

Klein was doing his best not to gape, turning to Egil as Yuuto hammered away at Kayaba's defenses. "Are you SEEING this?!"

Egil nodded. "Yeah...it's unreal. I've never seen Yuuto flow through so many attacks like that. It's almost as if he's-"

"-trained with a sword his whole friggin' life? Yeah, I've always gotten that impression from him, but this is just...incredible!"

Egil nodded. "If he's got more moves like that, he might actually win this."

Klein nodded. "For our sakes, as well as his, I hope so."

* * *

"Photon Surge!"

It was as if Yuuto was everywhere at once, attacks coming from literally all sides. Kayaba was doing his very best to deflect them, dodge them, or block them. Still a few were getting through, and his health was dropping steadily.

'_This can't continue! He's not using the pre-programmed attack patterns that I made for Dual Blades! He's using his OWN move sets! How is this even possible?! He would have to have been a trained swordsman in order to-'_

With that thought, a lightbulb went off in Kayaba's head. Sidestepping a strike meant to obliterate his kidney, Kayaba leapt away from Yuuto's attack area, skidding to a stop several feet away.

"I get it now, Yuuto-kun. You've always had your own little ace-in-the-hole. You've been extensively trained in the way of the sword in real life, haven't you?"

Yuuto figured that once he used his original move sets, the cat would be out of the bag, so to speak. Therefore, he didn't bother denying it. "Yes, I've been trained. Since I was a child."

Kayaba laughed. "Who would have guessed?! I never anticipated this. The very idea is contradictory. One one hand, very few adults actively play video games, and yet on the other, who better to play a game involving swords than an elite swordsman in his own right? It's utterly brilliant!"

Asuna looked at Yuuto, who had his back turned to them.

'_All this time, I knew there was something special about you, Yuuto-kun. You've always been strong, haven't you?'_

"Still, this level of strength you possess won't be enough to beat me."

Yuuto had to chuckle at this. "You've yet to even land a blow on me, while I've depleted half of your remaining health. You're already a breath away from being in the red. Tell me again how my strength is inadequate."

Kayaba shook his head. "While it's true that you've gotten the upper hand so far, with this new knowledge I've discovered, my victory is all but assured. Since you're getting help from an outside source, even IF that help is from your own body's muscle memory, I shall be enlisting assistance of my own."

In the blink of an eye, Kayaba had crossed the distance between them, his blade gleaming as it aimed for Yuuto's skull.

Blood splattered the floor as Yuuto shuffled backwards, his brow bleeding profusely as he closed his right eye to keep it from affecting his vision.

Asuna gasped, unable to follow Kayaba at all. How had he gotten so fast?

"You dirty bastard. Over-Assist?"

Kayaba grinned. "Over-Assist at 100%, Yuuto-kun. You have the benefit of years of training under your belt. I am merely a humble game programmer. How am I to defeat one such as yourself if I don't have a little help?"

A gaping slash appeared on Yuuto's side, blood spurting onto the floor as Yuuto roared in pain, staggering to the right as he clutched his side.

"Yuuto-kun!"

"It's only fair, after all." Kayaba chuckled, walking up to Yuuto and laying a hand on the man's shoulder, spinning him around to face him. "After all, I can honestly say I never anticipated you knowing a martial art like kendo, Yuuto-kun."

"Kayaba, you bastard!"

Yuuto swung, but Kayaba deflected it, a diagonal slash appearing on Yuuto's chest as the latter staggered backwards, more of his blood coating the ground. Gasping for air, Yuuto's back slumped as he struggled to fight against the overwhelming pain coursing through his body.

"Indeed, you are very tough, Yuuto-kun. Most players would have succumbed to the pain by now, not having experienced real-life pain to this extent. You have, and thus have built quite the tolerance to it. That tolerance is the only thing keeping you standing, I would guess."

Yuuto growled, lashing out with a quick left slash that Kayaba hadn't anticipated. He dodged it, but a cut appeared on his cheek, dropping his health into the red.

"Even wounded as you are, you can still fight. You even managed to cut me again, despite your grievous injuries. You have my eternal respect, Yuuto-kun. This has been the hardest fight I've ever had the pleasure of taking part in...but I think we're done."

Panting, Yuuto could no longer stand, instead on one knee. His blood, running down his chest and stomach, fell to the ground, the droplets already creating a small pool of crimson red.

Appearing in his left peripheral, Yuuto stared at Kayaba's blade, growling as it tauntingly caressed his cheek. "Such promise in one so young. But alas, our time together is at an end-"

"Damn straight it is!"

Using what remaining strength he had, Yuuto brought Elucidator up, knocking Kayaba's shield out of his grasp, the large object making a thunderous noise as it hit the ground. Yuuto grinned, seeing the sheer surprise etched on Kayaba's face, Dark Repulsor charged with his strongest attack. Thrusting the blade forward-

-it shattered against Kayaba's shield, the first foot of the blade breaking off as the rest of the blade fissured with cracks.

Yuuto's eyes widened. The shield, it had been over on the floor! But how?! And Repulsor, it was supposed to be one of the strongest blades ever made! How could it shatter?!

"Over-Assist, Yuuto-kun. You're wondering how I got my shield back. It was simply a matter of having it gravitate back towards me. As for your sword, no matter how strong it was, my shield's defensive capabilities are absolute. Nothing can penetrate it. Nothing ever has. Nothing ever will."

The broken tip of Dark Repulsor struck the ground, rebounding twice before exploding into shards. The remaining piece of the sword followed suit, glowing a misty blue before disappearing, having been destroyed when it broke.

"It's over, Yuuto-kun."

Kayaba's blade glowed with a bright red aura as he brought it up to deliver the final blow.

"Farewell."

His blade fully charged, Kayaba brought it down...

...and the blade bit deep, leaving a diagonal red line from shoulder to hip.

However, it had missed its' intended target.

"**ASUNA!"**

The attack sent her into Yuuto's arms, the force of it driving them both backwards a few feet.

"...This is unexpected. I didn't think one could break paralysis through sheer force of will. Will wonders never cease?"

All of this flew by Yuuto, whose entire focus was Asuna. Her pristine white battle uniform was soaked in her blood, and her pretty, pink lips were coated in it.

The very sight caused his blood to freeze. He went for a health crystal, only to see that her health was already completely gone. Health crystals could restore health, so long as there was health left to restore. Without any health left...

"I'm sorry, Yuuto-kun."

He gasped, his grip on her tightening as she began to glow slightly. "No, Asuna...this can't...it's not..."

"Remember, I'll always love you."

"NO, ASUNA-"

"Goodbye."

A tear rolled down her cheek, and she smiled before exploding into shards.

Silence reigned, save for the metallic clang of Asuna's rapier on the ground. Even if he was considered evil, Kayaba had respect for anyone who would willingly defy a status ailment, succeed, and then sacrifice themselves to protect someone else from a killing blow.

Thus, he allowed Yuuto a small moment of silence to grieve for the loss of his wife.

Inside Yuuto's mind, it was chaos. Memories, flashing at blistering paces, scalded his core. Memories of Asuna, her smile, her laughter, her bright personality, and so much more.

'_This isn't happening. This can't be happening. Asuna can't be dead. No...nononononononono NO! Not again...not after everything we've been though. All the trials we've faced, the people we've lost...I can't lose her like I lost Sachi...Sachi...'_

With a start, his brain became calm. He knew the solution to this problem.

He'd had it with him the whole time.

Scrolling through his inventory, he ignored Kayaba's question.

"What good will anything in your inventory do? She's gone, Yuuto-kun. Nothing you have can possibly-"

"**Divine Stone of Returning Soul, activate**."

Kayaba gasped, and Klein, off to the side, remembered the item immediately. "Of COURSE!"

Egil turned to his friend. "What is that item?"

Klein grinned. "It's a one-of-a-kind resurrection item. Yuuto obtained it from Nicholas the Renegade during our first Christmas here in SAO. If a player has died, so long as the item is used within 10 seconds of that player's death, they can be revived."

Egil's eyes widened. "Then that means-"

Yuuto's eyes hardened. "You WON'T take Asuna from me, Kayaba!"

"I-impossible...YOU were the one who obtained it?!"

Ignoring him, Yuuto focused on the task at hand. "Divine Stone, grant my wish. Resurrect the player Asuna. Snatch her from the jaws of death, and deliver her to me unharmed. This, I beseech you!"

The stone shone brilliantly, blinding all present with a harsh flash of light, before shattering, each piece becoming a substance similar to stardust. These pieces of stardust coalesced together, and slowly, ever so slowly, began to take shape.

From the shape of the legs, to the pristine white of the armor, at a pace far too slow for Yuuto's liking, Asuna began to emerge from the cloud of stardust. When she'd completely emerged, the stardust twinkled once, then vanished.

Blinking, Asuna sat there completely stunned. "...I'm...alive?"

She gasped as she felt strong arms embrace her, and a voice all too familiar whispering into her ear. "And you will remain alive, as long as I have any say about it. Welcome back, Asuna."

Tears prickled her eyes, before running down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around Yuuto.

"I don't know how you did it, Yuuto-kun, but I'm so glad. Thank you."

He nodded. "You swore to protect me, and you did. I swore to protect you, and now, I'm going to fulfill that promise."

Reaching down, he grabbed Asuna's rapier, unsheathing it to her surprise. "I'll be borrowing your sword. I swear to return it."

Merely smiling, she grabbed his face and kissed him deeply, surprising him in return.

"I'll be waiting, Yuuto-kun."

He nodded, before hardening his eyes and standing, turning to face Kayaba.

"Let's finish this, Kayaba. You WON'T be leaving here alive."

* * *

It was over in mere moments.

Kayaba had been ill-prepared to face Yuuto after seeing him use the Resurrection Stone. How had this man gotten ahold of it? Nicholas had been a special event, and one that he'd not done again. To his knowledge, no one had manage to figure out the riddle that he'd let slip to a few information brokers regarding the event.

And yet there it was, being used to revive a player from the grip of death.

He hadn't lied when he'd said it was able to revive a player from death. The NerveGear was programmed with just such an item in mind. If a player died in the game, their real-world body would be given a 15 second delay period, during which a player that had a revival item could use it on the player that died. If, after 10 seconds, a revival item was not used, the code would be transmitted to the corresponding NerveGear, and the person would then die.

Yuuto, however, had made the 10 second window. If Asuna had died in the real world, not even the revival item would have been able to bring her back, as the code would be transmitted back to the item indicating the player's demise in the real world.

With all of this reeling in his head, he barely recognized a dull thud echoing through the room. Looking down at his shield, he found it out of his grasp. Looking to the ground, his eyes widened when he saw Elucidator pinning it to the ground, the blade biting deep into the ground as it held the handle of the shield to the floor.

"The Darkness Blade, Elucidator. It's not the strongest weapon, nor is it the fastest. It doesn't have massive status enhancements, nor does it have the ability to inflict status ailments. It does, however, have one ability that no other sword does. The ability to withstand any and all assaults, similar to your Immortal Object status. Since your shield apparently has the same property, having one cancel the other out is child's play."

Kayaba cursed, swinging his sword in an attempt to remove Yuuto's head, only for the other man to duck under it, using it as an excuse to get close.

"Not so tough without your shield, are you?"

"Tough enough, Yuuto-kun."

Bringing his blade around, Kayaba deflected Asuna's rapier, forcing Yuuto to backpedal in order to not be cut. His health was dangerously low, and even though Kayaba's was the same, he had to take great care not to get caught unawares.

"You're leaving yourself open, Yuuto-kun."

"What are you-"

Yuuto's eyes widened. He then threw himself fully forward, each step seeming to be hampered by quicksand.

He watched as Asuna, now without a weapon, tried to flee from Kayaba's attack, only for the paralysis stat to kick in, forcing her to merely watch as he raised the sword above his head, the red aura around it signifying a fully charged attack.

"Too easy."

The blade erupted from flesh, blood spraying across the floor.

A few droplets caught Asuna in the face, and to her horror, they weren't hers.

"**YUUTO-KUN!"**

Yuuto smiled, standing in front of Asuna with Kayaba's blade through his chest. Blood pooling at his feet, he shakily reached out and caressed her tear-streaked cheek with his bloody hand.

"It's fine...Asuna. This...was the only way...to keep you...safe."

He promptly vomited blood, adding to the pool at his feet. She clutched at his cloak, but he brushed her hands away.

Steeling himself, he narrowed his eyes. "This ends now."

"Yuuto-kun, don't-!"

With no warning, Yuuto pushed backwards, his roar of pain at impaling himself further on Kayaba's blade followed by a gasp from Kayaba, before blood began running down the other man's lips.

Yuuto had made sure his back was against Kayaba's chest before bringing Asuna's rapier up and jamming it through his sternum, the blade erupting out of his back and straight into Kayaba's unprotected chest.

Scoffing at the suicidal nature of the attack, Kayaba coughed blood onto Yuuto's neck.

"Should have...seen that...coming."

"You were too confident, Kayaba...you never thought I'd throw my life away...for the one I love."

Asuna hitched a sob, trying her hardest to reach for Yuuto. This time, however, the paralysis held firm.

"Yuuto-kun, please...don't leave me...you can't..."

Yuuto shook his head, smiling despite the pain. "I love you, Asuna. Never forget that."

"No, please...don't go...YUUTO-KUN!"

Both Kayaba Akihiko and Ishigawa Yuuto exploded into shards, Asuna's rapier landing on the ground next to her with a dull clank.

"**NOOOOOOOOOOO!"**

And with that, the world went white.

One message, however, resounded above everything else.

"_As of November 7th, at 14:55, SAO has been cleared. SAO has been cleared."_

* * *

"Quite a view, isn't it?"

Yuuto, who had been silently watching Aincrad disintegrate, turned to face Kayaba Akihiko, quirking an eyebrow at the man who'd started it all.

"It is. However, so is the sight of you in a suit of armor."

Blinking, Kayaba chuckled. "Yes, I almost forgot. You're referring to the real me."

With a flash of light, 'Heathcliff' was no more. In his place, the real Kayaba Akihiko stood. Short, brown hair, pale white skin from lack of sunlight, dark pants, darker shoes, and most importantly, a pristine white labcoat completed the appearance.

"Now where was I...ah, yes. The SAO Mainframe, within the 5th Level Basement at my corporate headquarters, is deleting every last piece of data in its' storage banks. In...ten minutes or so, everything in this world will cease to exist."

Yuuto opened his mouth to respond, but Kayaba continued. "As agreed, every remaining player has been logged out of the system. All 6,148 of them. No need to worry about them, or Asuna-san."

Yuuto sighed. "That's good...that's very good."

Turning to the setting sun, Yuuto merely watched the clouds float past.

"Aren't you going to ask why I did this?"

Yuuto shook his head. "No. You have your reasons, as did I for what I did in the past. And no, I'm not telling you."

Kayaba's mildly interested look was replaced with one of disappointment. "I figured as much. Even in the end, you remain enigmatic."

Turning, both men watched the castle continue to disintegrate, large chunks breaking off and falling into the growing abyss below.

"You know, even though this castle will vanish, I honestly believe that somewhere, in some way, this castle will continue to exist."

Yuuto nodded. "It will continue to exist in the minds and hearts of those who've lived in it, who've survived this experience and have grown as a result of it."

Kayaba smiled. "Congratulations on clearing the game, by the way. I never got the chance to say that."

Yuuto laughed. "It's a moot point, honestly. What's the point of clearing a game if you die in the end?"

Kayaba shook his head. "I don't have the answer to that question." Turning, he regarded the sun once more. "I suppose I should be going, now. Farewell, Yuuto-kun. It really was fun."

Despite everything he'd been through, Yuuto had to agree. "...Yeah, it kinda was, wasn't it?"

He got no reply, and watched Kayaba walk into the clouds and disappear.

With his only other companion gone, Yuuto turned to watch the last of Aincrad break apart, the Ruby Palace splitting in half before vanishing into the abyss.

Chuckling to himself, Yuuto sat down and watched the sun set.

"Never thought I'd die in a game, to be honest. Not die for real, at least."

* * *

Asuna opened her eyes slowly, looking around at the pristine white area she was in.

Was she in Heaven? Hell? A painter's lounge?

None of them seemed likely, and at that moment, she didn't care. She couldn't care.

She'd lost the man she loved. There was no point in anything, anymore.

She reached for her rapier, only to discover it gone.

Great, now she couldn't even end her suffering. Damn Yuuto-kun for making Kayaba promise that ridiculous addendum-

Without warning, a chill shot down her spine, and she ducked as a mass flew over her head.

It circled once, twice, then landed mere feet in front of her.

"Mah, I missed. Oh well, I'll still get what I came after. No worries."

"Who are you?"

The being in question stopped musing to itself, turning to Asuna with a smile.

"Why, I'm your soon-to-be husband, that's who."

Her heart leapt. "Yuuto-kun!"

The being cocked its' head. "Yuuto? No, that isn't my name."

Chuckling, the being began to move towards her, arms spread wide. "I'll tell you my name, after you come with me on a little trip, Asuna-san."

Paling, she began to backpedal.

Only to run square into a solid object behind her.

Turning, she made to fight with whatever she had left-

Only to have her heart soar as she laid eyes on Yuuto.

"YUUTO-KUN!"

She barely got the words out before he was kissing her. Hard, passionately, and full of love.

She nearly swooned.

Breaking the kiss, he smiled at her. "Hey, Asuna. Miss me?"

Tears falling freely, she punched his chest. "BAKA! Why did you do that?! I thought I lost y-"

"As touching as this seems to be, I insist you step away from Asuna-san, worm."

Cut off, Asuna turned to regard the being cloaked in darkness.

"He will do NO SUCH TH-"

"Asuna."

Blinking, she felt Yuuto put her behind himself, Elucidator materializing in his hand. "You need to leave. I will hold him off as long as I can. Go."

"Not without y-"

"THIS IS AN ORDER! GO!"

Startled, she took a step back. Steel-blue eyes met hers, and she knew that he wasn't messing around. He NEVER gave her orders. To him, this was as serious a fight as the one he'd had with Kayaba, and he was taking no chances with her safety.

Nodding, she backed away slowly, keeping her eyes on both of them.

"So, the white knight protecting the damsel in distress? How cliché."

"Says the boogie man popping out of the shadows to abduct people."

Said being chuckled. "At least you have wit. You'll have to do."

"Do? What, am I being called to fix a leaky pipe? Sorry, you might want to call a professional for that. I'm not exactly Mr. Do-It-Yourself when it comes to home repair."

Not giving his opponent a chance to respond, Yuuto shot forward. He saw the figure draw a blade out of thin air, much like he himself had done mere moments ago.

'_This guy is no joke. I need to hit him with everything I've got from the start.'_

Rearing back, Yuuto lashed out with Elucidator...

* * *

Asuna had gotten herself a considerable distance from the fight.

Watching it now, she wished she hadn't.

Every move Yuuto made was either countered outright or merely avoided.

Granted, he was only using one sword. If he could use a second, maybe...

Reaching for her sword, she cursed as she remembered it wasn't with her.

Looking up, she gasped. Yuuto had swung, putting every last ounce of strength into the attack, and the being had grinned before bringing its' blade down...

And slicing Elucidator in two.

The shock was evident on Yuuto's face. He was completely open to the follow-up attack, the being's blade erupting out of his back as he viciously impaled Yuuto.

Yuuto's gasp of pain echoed through the air, even as Asuna began to run towards him.

"YUUTO-KUN!"

He didn't even turn towards her. It was if he couldn't hear her. Now that she thought of it, she wasn't getting any closer, despite running as hard as she could.

Looking down, she noticed her body slowly disintegrating, and she realized she was being sent back to the real world.

"Asuna-san."

Getting her attention, the being waited until she looked at him before ripping the blade from Yuuto's gut, the latter falling lifelessly to the ground. He took a moment to enjoy the look of horror on her face before continuing.

"Do not despair, he is not dead. However, how long he remains that way is up to you. Know that I came here for you, not him. Unfortunately, he delayed me long enough so that you could escape, and at the very least, he succeeded in that. I cannot touch you, now that you're being sent back."

Her eyes glared pure hatred at him, with a touch of worry buried deep within them.

"If you want your _lover_ back..." the being spat, actually spitting upon using the word, "I suggest you come to the next world. Only there can you save his soul."

'_Of course, by the time you get there, there won't be anything left worth saving.'_

She shook her head, watching with despair as the being picked Yuuto up by the neck before throwing him over its' shoulder, turning, and walking in the opposite direction.

"No, give him back! Let him go! He's mine! Yuuto-kun is mine! Yuuto-kun, wake up! Please, wake up! No! NO!-"

* * *

"-**NOOO!**"

"Asuna-san, stop struggling!"

"NO, HE'S GOT YUUTO-KUN! LET HIM GO! LET YUUTO-KUN GO!"

"Get me .6 cc's of diazepam. We'll need to introduce it intravenously."

"What's going on?"

"Sir, your daughter is having a panic attack."

"Do something, please!"

"We're taking care of it right now, sir. Please, just step back and let us handle this."

"YUUTO-KUN! PLEASE DON'T GO! I LOVE HIM! GIVE HIM BACK! YUUTO-KUN! **YUUTO-KUN!**"

* * *

**With that, I bring SAO:ALR to a close.**

**Again, like I said in the A/N at the end of Chapter 14, this will not be the end. A second story is in the works, and will be coming out eventually. When exactly, with school and work and miscellaneous crap floating about, I don't know.**

**Until next time,**

**Sgt. Assassin signing out.**


End file.
